Measuring psychosocial variables in patients with (sub) acute low back pain complaints, at risk for chronicity: a validation study of the Acute Low Back Pain Screening Questionnaire-Dutch Language Version.
METHODS
A validation study of the Acute Low Back Pain Screening Questionnaire Dutch Language Version (ALBPSQ-DLV).


OBJECTIVE
To determine internal consistency, construct and convergent validity of the ALBPSQ-DLV in a population of patients with (sub) acute low back pain (LBP) referred to primary care physical therapy in The Netherlands.


BACKGROUND
Viewing LBP as a multifactorial biopsychosocial syndrome enhances the need for validating instruments for screening psychosocial variables in patients with LBP. The ALBPSQ has been specifically constructed as a self-administered screening instrument, based on variables that have been suggested as a risk factor in the literature.


METHODS
A total of 69 patients with (sub) acute LBP were recruited. Internal consistency of the ALBPSQ-DLV was determined by calculating Cronbach alpha. Construct validity was determined by applying exploratory factor analysis. Convergent validity was assessed by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficients between domains of ALBPSQ-DLV and Dutch language versions of the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, Pain Coping Inventory, Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale, and the Visual Analogue Scale of pain intensity.


RESULTS
Internal consistency of the ALBPSQ-DLV was 0.81. Values of the various subscales ranged between 0.48 and 0.88. Convergent validity was confirmed by moderate to good correlation coefficients (P = 0.01) between the scores on the subscales and the constructs of pain, disability, fear-avoidance beliefs, kinesiophobia, and coping (r = 0.38-0.64). Exploratory factor analysis, suppressing absolute values less than 0.40, revealed components which were in agreement with the various domains of the original ALBPSQ.


CONCLUSIONS
The internal consistency and both construct and convergent validity of the ALBPSQ-DLV are well established in a Dutch population of 69 patients with (sub) acute nonspecific LBP referred to primary care physical therapy.
Heneweer
Hans
H
Research Department Lifestyle and Health, University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Hans.Heneweer@hu.nl
van Woudenberg
Nienke J
NJ
van Genderen
Frank
F
Vanhees
Luc
L
Wittink
Harriet
H
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D015588:Observer Variation; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires