Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the European Portuguese Version of the Central Sensitization Inventory in Adolescents With Musculoskeletal Chronic Pain.

BACKGROUND

Central sensitization (CS) is an important feature in musculoskeletal chronic pain, and associated symptoms can be assessed using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI).

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to translate and cross-culturally adapt the CSI to the European Portuguese language and to assess its validity and reliability in adolescents with musculoskeletal chronic pain.

METHODS

The European Portuguese version of the CSI was established following the translation and testing processes recommended by international guidelines. Then, this version of the CSI was completed by 1,730 adolescents, who also completed the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire; the Pain Catastrophizing Scale; the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia; and the Basic Scale on Insomnia Complaints and Quality of Sleep. Test-retest reliability and measurement error, internal consistency, hypothesis testing, and factor analysis were assessed for the translated version of the CSI.

RESULTS

Cronbach's alpha was 0.91, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.90, 0.96), and the standard error of measurement and smallest detectable change were 4.15 and 11.50, respectively. Fair correlations were found between CSI and fear of movement (Spearman's correlation [r ] = 0.46), sleep (r  = 0.46), and catastrophizing (r  = 0.49). Moderate to good correlations were found between CSI and depression (r  = 0.60), anxiety (r  = 0.59), and stress (r  = 0.65).

CONCLUSION

The European Portuguese version of the CSI was considered easy to understand and showed very good internal consistency, excellent test-retest reliability, and excellent construct validity in a community sample of adolescents with musculoskeletal chronic pain.