Validation of the survey of pain attitudes - professionals

Abstract

Beliefs can influence the way people interpret events and behavior towards them. The aim of this study was validating an instrument to identify professionals' beliefs/attitudes towards chronic pain. The Survey of Pain Attitudes-Professionals (IAD-Profissionais), adapted from the Survey of Pain Attitude-Brief used for patients (SOPA-B), was answered by 75 professionals from Pain Clinics (mean age = 42.8 years; mean years since graduation = 16 years; physicians = 58.7%; physical therapists = 14.7%; with specialization courses = 42.7%; with Master's Degree/PhD = 26.7%. The Survey of Pain Attitude-Professionals was validated with 20 items; the factorial analysis confirmed 6 domains (emotion, control, disability, solicitude, medical cure and harm). The reliability of the domains ranged from 0.567 to 0.807 (Cronbach's alpha). An instrument is available to help organizing educative actions.