McGill Pain Questionnaire

Various Diagnoses:

(Wilke et al., 1990; meta-analytic results of 51 studies; total subjects across studies = 3,624; mean ages ranged from 19 to 62 years)

• Scores across all conditions = 25% to 39% of maximum scores
• PRI-affective scores = 11% to 39% of maximum scores
• PRI-evaluative scores = 44% to 54% of maximum scores
• PRI-Misc scores = 22% to 33% of maximum scores

Various Diagnoses:

(Wilke et al., 1990)

Grand Weighted-Mean scores (range of mean scores)

Lung, Head or Neck, and Prostate Cancer:

(Fisher et al., 2009; n = 302; mean age = 60.5 (11.5) years; all patients undergoing radiation treatment)

• Concurrent validity: number of words chosen predicted by (using standardized regression coefficients, Beta):

  • State Anxiety (Beta = 0.06)

  • Depression (Beta = 0.07)

  • Greater number of coping strategies used (Beta = 0.16)

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

(Ferraz et al., 1990; n = 91 (66 literate & 25 illiterate)

• Excellent test-retest reliability (literate) r = 0.96

• Excellent test-retest reliability (illiterate) r = 0.95

Arthritis:

(Burckhardt, 1984; n = 188 (from two samples, one impatient, one outpatient); approximately 50% presented with rheumatoid arthritis, 30% had osteoarthritis, and 20% had a less common forms of rheumatic disease; MPQ sores (outpatient) = 23.8 (12.8) and (inpatient = 28.8 (13.8) points)

• Six factors explained 58.3% of the variance. Most variance (29%) was accounted for by sensory reactive components.
• "Aching" was the most commonly cited term, "Sharp" and Throbbing" were also commonly cited.
• Ratings of intensity was consistent to severity of arthritis.

Cancer:

(Mystakidou et al, 2004; n = 114; Greek language version of the MPQ)

• Excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96)

Leukemia:

(Donaldson; n = 191; patients with oral mucositis pain due to bone marrow transplants assessed at 3 and 10 days; mean age = 35 (18-57) years)

• Internal consistency (calculated using factor scores)
  • 0.88 (at 3 days)
  • 0.87 (at 10 days)

Lung, Head or Neck, and Prostate Cancer:

(Fisher et al., 2009; n = 302; mean age = 60.5 (11.5) years; all patients undergoing radiation treatment)

• Concurrent validity: number of words chosen predicted by (using standardized regression coefficients, Beta):

  • State Anxiety (Beta = 0.06)

  • Depression (Beta = 0.07)

  • Greater number of coping strategies used (Beta = 0.16)

Lung Cancer:

(Wilkie et al., 2001, MPQ pain rating index mean scores = 19 (12) points with 8 words chosen; mean Sensory scores = 12 (7), mean Affective scores = 2 (2), mean Evaluative scores = 2 (2) and mean Misc scores = 3 (3) points)  

• Predictive validity: 10 neuropathic pain discriptors were selected for lung cancer pain sites

Low Back Pain:

(Byrne et al, 1981; n = 98 (63 female, 35 male); mean age 41.7 (male); 48.1 (female) years; mean duration of back pain 5.5 and 7.7 years respectively)

• Factor analyses was used, loadings were compared to prior research (e.g. Prieto et al., 1980). Comparisons suggest a similar pattern of factor loadings.

Low Back Pain:

(Byrne et al, 1981)

• A four factor solution accounted for most of the variance, with the first factor (sensory pressure) accounting for 71.9% of the variance.

Chronic Pain:

(Dworkin et al., 2009; n = 882; mean experience of chronic pain >8 years; SF-MPQ-2)

Musculoskeletal Pain:

(Menezes et al., 2011; n = 203; 38% = lower limb conditions, 29% = upper limb conditions, 23% = back pain, 8% = neck pain, and 3% = fibromyalgia; mean age = 42.5 (15.5) years; Brazilian-Portuguese Short Form of the MPQ used)

• No floor or ceiling effects observed for the SF-MPQ (calculated as > 15% highest or lowest possible score; no data for the)

Note: No studies could be located that assessed floor or ceiling effects for the original MPQ

Literature Review:

(Melzack, 1975; measure development)

• Subject Matter Experts classified 102 words gleaned from the extant literature.

• Words were categorized into 3 classes and 16 subclasses, these include:

  • Sensory qualities: temporal, spatial, pressure, thermal and "other" properties of pain

  • Affective qualities: tension fear and automatic properties of pain

  • Evaluative terms: a subjective assessment of overall pain intensity.

• Groups of doctors, patients and students then assigned numeric intensity values to each word

  • High levels of agreement were observed despite difference in cultural, socio-economic and educational levels