Construct validity of the parents' postoperative pain measure.
OBJECTIVE
Pain assessment can be a challenging task for parents, who increasingly provide the care for their children after surgery. This research provides evidence of the construct validity of the Parents' Postoperative Pain Measure (PPPM), a 15-item behavioral scale.


METHODS
Study 1 examined the ability of scores on the PPPM to discriminate between pain and anxiety in a sample of 75 children (30 girls) between the ages of 7 and 12 years undergoing day surgery. Study 2 examined the sensitivity of scores on the PPPM to analgesic intervention among a sample of 28 children (7 girls) between the ages of 7 and 12 years undergoing day surgery.


RESULTS
In Study 1, scores on the PPPM closely followed the pattern of children's self-reported pain intensity and not state-related anxiety. Results from Study 2 showed that scores on the PPPM, like children's self-reported pain intensity ratings, were sensitive to analgesic intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of these studies provide further support for the construct validity of the PPPM and confirm that the measure is a valid pain assessment tool for use by parents at home following children's surgeries.
Finley
G Allen
GA
Dalhousie University and IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. allen.finley@dal.ca
Chambers
Christine T
CT
McGrath
Patrick J
PJ
Walsh
Trudi M
TM
D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016353:Self-Examination / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires