Reliability and validity of the Acceptance Symptom Assessment Scale in assessing labour pain.
OBJECTIVE
to investigate the reliability and validity of the Acceptance Symptom Assessment Scale (ASAS) in assessing labour pain.


METHODS
a test-retest approach was used to assess reliability and validity.


METHODS
labour ward with approximately 2,400 deliveries annually in western part of Sweden.


METHODS
forty-seven pregnant women in the latent or active phase of labour.


METHODS
a total of five pain assessments with both the ASAS and the VAS were conducted in three sessions.


METHODS
correlation between ASAS and VAS.


RESULTS
both scales demonstrated high and significant test-retest correlations (r=0.83-0.92; p<0.001). High and significant alternative-form reliability correlations (r=0.76-0.93, p<0.001) were found between ASAS and VAS ratings at all five assessments. Construct validity was established when both the ASAS and the VAS identified a pain reduction (p<0.001) 2 hrs after birth, compared to the previous assessment. Over two-thirds of the women preferred the ASAS to the VAS, mainly (n=30) because the ASAS provided more choices relating to the pain experience, making it possible to label pain acceptable/unacceptable.


CONCLUSIONS
the ASAS is interchangeable with the VAS for assessing labour pain. Over two-thirds of the women preferred it to the VAS.
School of Life Sciences, University of Skövde, Box 408, SE-541 28 Skövde, Sweden. Ingrid.bergh@his.se
Ingrid
I
Bergh
Tina
T
Söderlund
Linda
L
Vinterskog
Lena B
LB
Mårtensson
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult