Abstract
The verbal numerical rating scale (vNRS-11) is one of the most widely used scales
for assessing pediatric pain intensity. The literature shows that it is a valid instrument
for assessing pain intensity in children above 8 years of age. The aim of this work
was to study whether the vNRS-11 is also a valid instrument when it is used with Catalan-speaking
children between 6 and 8 years old. A total of 126 schoolchildren (mean age, 6.87;
SD, .68) were interviewed individually. Participants reported the maximum intensity
of the most frequent pain they had experienced in the previous 3 months, and the intensity
they would experience in 3 circumstances, using the vNRS-11 and other widely used
scales: the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R), the mechanical visual analog scale (VAS),
and the colored analog scale (CAS). They rated their affective state in relation to
the pain experience and reported their pain-related disability. Participants also
indicated which of the 4 scales they preferred. The vNRS-11 showed a high convergent
construct validity (r = .73–.86), adequate discriminant validity (z = 2.05–5.55),
and adequate criterion-related validity (r = .45–.70). The vNRS-11 was the second
most preferred scale.
Perspective
This study contributes to the increasing literature that supports the use of the vNRS-11
to assess pain intensity in children. Specifically, it shows that it can be used in
children as young as 6 years of age.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 04, 2013
Accepted:
December 3,
2012
Received in revised form:
November 26,
2012
Received:
February 21,
2012
Footnotes
The study was partly funded by grants PSI2009-12193PSIC-MICINN, la Fundació La Marató de TV3, AGAUR (2009 SGR 434) and Obra Social de la Caixa (program RecerCaixa). E.C.’s work is supported by a doctoral grant from the Department of Universities, Research and the Information Society of the Catalan Government and the European Social Fund. E.S.-R.’s work is supported by a doctoral grant from the Catalan Government and by the CRAMC.
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
