Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric investigation of Chinese version of the Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale in patients with depressive disorder

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and preliminarily test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP).

Methods

Psychometric investigation was performed on 240 depressed patients. The reliability of the Chinese version of the OMMP scale was expressed by internal consistency reliability and test–retest reliability (2-week interval), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the 8-factor, 31-item OMMP was conducted to examine the construct validity.

Results

The CFA showed that the modified model with 31 items had good reliability (Cronbach’s α range = 0.691–0.871; ICC = 0.818). Criterion-related validity was also supported by significant and positive correlations between the eight factors and worst-ever suicidal ideation as well as depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

The results indicated the usefulness of the OMMP-31 for Chinese depressed patients. It is necessary to estimate psychological pain to improve suicide management in the clinical setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The data that support the fndings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  1. Shneidman, E. S. (1993). Suicide as psychache. Journal of Nervous Mental Disease, 181(3), 145–147.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Orbach, I., Mikulincer, M., Sirota, P., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2003). Mental pain: A multidimensional operationalization and definition. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 33(3), 219–230.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Meerwijk, E. L., & Weiss, S. J. (2014). Toward a unifying definition: Response to ‘The concept of mental pain.’ Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 83(1), 62–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tossani, E. (2013). The concept of mental pain. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(2), 67–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Liang, G. L. (2015). A related study of cognitive disorder and psychological distress in patients with depression. Journal of Psychiatry, 28(4), 251–253.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sun, X. M., Li, H. H., Song, W., Jiang, S. Y., Shen, C. F., & Wang, X. (2020). ROC analysis of three-dimensional psychological pain in suicide ideation and suicide attempt among patients with major depressive disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 76(1), 210–227.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Mee, S., Bunney, B. G., Bunney, W. E., Hetrick, W., Potkin, S. G., & Reist, C. (2011). Assessment of psychological pain in major depressive episodes. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 45(11), 1504–1510.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Li, H. H., Xie, W. Z., Luo, X. W., Fu, R., Shi, C., Ying, X. Y., et al. (2014). Clarifying the role of psychological pain in the risks of suicidal ideation and suicidal acts among patients with major depressive episodes. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 44(1), 78–88.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Holden, R. R., Mehta, K., Cunningham, E. J., & McLeod, L. D. (2001). Development and preliminary validation of a scale of psychache. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 33(4), 224–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Shneidman, E. S. (1999). The psychological pain assessment scale. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 29(4), 287–294.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bolger, E. (1999). Grounded theory analysis of emotional pain. Psychotherapy Research, 9(3), 342–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Shneidman, E. S. (1998). Perspectives on suicidology. Further reflections on suicide and psychache. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 28(3), 245–250.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Baumeister, R. F. (1990). Suicide as escape from self. Psychological Review, 97(1), 90–113.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Frankl, V. E. (1966). What is meant by meaning? Journal of Existentialism, 6(25), 21–28.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Guimarães, R., Fleming, M., & Cardoso, M. F. (2014). Validation of the Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP) on a drug addicted population. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 49(3), 405–415.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Tossani, E., Ricci Garotti, M. G., Mikulincer, M., Giovagnoli, S., Calzolari, G., Landi, G., et al. (2021). Psychometric evaluation of the Italian version of Orbach & Mikulincer mental pain scale in a non-clinical sample. Current Psychology, 40(4), 1903–1910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Meerwijk, E. L., Chesla, C. A., & Weiss, S. J. (2014). Psychological pain and reduced resting-state heart rate variability in adults with a history of depression. Psychophysiology, 51(3), 247–256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Levi-Belz, Y., Gvion, Y., Horesh, N., Fischel, T., Treves, I., Or, E., et al. (2014). Mental pain, communication difficulties, and medically serious suicide attempts: A case–control study. Archives of Suicide Research, 18(1), 74–87.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Gvion, Y., Horresh, N., Levi-Belz, Y., Fischel, T., Treves, I., Weiser, M., et al. (2014). Aggression-impulsivity, mental pain, and communication difficulties in medically serious and medically non-serious suicide attempters. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(1), 40–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Orbach, I., Mikulincer, M., Gilboa-Schechtman, E., & Sirota, P. (2003). Mental pain and its relationship to suicidality and life meaning. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 33(3), 231–241.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Soumani, A., Damigos, D., Oulis, P., Masdrakis, V., Ploumpidis, D., Mavreas, V., et al. (2011). Mental pain and suicide risk: Application of the Greek version of the Mental Pain and the Tolerance of Mental Pain scale. Psychiatriki, 22(4), 330–340.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Van Heeringen, K., Van den Abbeele, D., Vervaet, M., Soenen, L., & Audenaert, K. (2010). The functional neuroanatomy of mental pain in depression. Psychiatry Research, 181(2), 141–144.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Meerwijk, E. L. (2012). We need to talk about psychological pain. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(4), 263–265.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Brislin, R. W. (1976). Comparative research methodology: Cross-cultural studies. International Journal of Psychology, 11(3), 215–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Guillemin, F., Bombardier, C., & Beaton, D. (1993). Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures: Literature review and proposed guidelines. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 46(12), 1417–1432.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Ranieri, W. F. (1988). Scale for Suicide Ideation: Psychometric properties of a self-report version. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44(4), 499–505.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hamilton, M. (1967). Development of a rating scale for primary depressive illness. The British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 6(4), 278–296.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhu, C. M., Huo, K. J., Zhang, H. K., Hu, B. S., & Yang, H. Q. (1985). Rating of the severity of depression. Chinese Journal of Psychiatry, 18(5), 295–297.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Haynes, S. N., Richard, D. C. S., & Kubany, E. S. (1995). Content validity in psychological assessment: A functional approach to concepts and methods. Psychological Assessment, 7(3), 238–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Shi, J. Z., Mo, X. K., & Sun, Z. Q. (2012). Content validity index in scale development. Journal of Central South University (Medical Sciences), 37(2), 49–52.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Waltz, C. F., & Bausell, R. B. (1983). Nursing research: Design, statistics, and computer analysis. FA Davis Company.

  32. Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Wu, M. L. (2013). Structural equation model: Advanced AMOS practice. Chongqing University Press.

  34. Cortina, J. M. (1993). What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(1), 98–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Terwee, C. B., Bot, S. D., de Boer, M. R., van der Windt, D. A., Knol, D. L., Dekker, J., et al. (2007). Quality criteria were proposed for measurement properties of health status questionnaires. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 60(1), 34–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Casanova, M. P., Nelson, M. C., Pickering, M. A., Appleby, K. M., Grindley, E. J., Larkins, L. W., et al. (2021). Measuring psychological pain: Psychometric analysis of the Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale. Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences, 3(1), 7.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Devine, J., Schröder, L. A., Metzner, F., Klasen, F., Moon, J., Herdman, M., et al. (2018). Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of eight pediatric PROMIS® item banks into Spanish and German. Quality of Life Research, 27(9), 2415–2430.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Casanova, M., Nelson, M., Pickering, M., Appleby, K., Grindley, E., Larkins, L., et al. (2021). Measuring psychological pain: Psychometric analysis of the Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale. Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences, 3(7), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Barrett, H. C. (2022). Psychology within and without the state. Annual Review of Psychology, 73, 461–487.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Meerwijk, E. L., & Weiss, S. J. (2016). Does suicidal desire moderate the association between frontal delta power and psychological pain? PeerJ, 4, e1538.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Nahaliel, S., Sommerfeld, E., Orbach, I., Weller, A., Apter, A., & Zalsman, G. (2014). Mental pain as a mediator of suicidal tendency: A path analysis. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(4), 944–951.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Giner, L., Blasco-Fontecilla, H., De La Vega, D., & Courtet, P. (2016). Cognitive, emotional, temperament, and personality trait correlates of suicidal behavior. Current Psychiatry Reports, 18(11), 102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Orbach, I., Rosenheim, E., & Hary, E. (1987). Some aspects of cognitive functioning in suicidal children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 26(2), 181–185.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Siepmann, M., Aykac, V., Unterdörfer, J., Petrowski, K., & Mueck-Weymann, M. (2008). A pilot study on the effects of heart rate variability biofeedback in patients with depression and in healthy subjects. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 33(4), 195–201.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Baehr, E., Rosenfeld, J. P., & Baehr, R. (1997). The clinical use of an alpha asymmetry protocol in the neurofeedback treatment of depression. Journal of Neurotherapy, 2(3), 10–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Li, H. H., Xie, W. Z., & Li, Y. N. (2015). Neural circuits of orbitofrontal cortex involved in suicidal attempts among major depression patients. Advances in Psychological Science, 23(7), 1187–1195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Cognition and motivation in emotion. The American Psychologist, 46(4), 352–367.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Zou, Y. M., Li, H. H., Shi, C., Lin, Y. X., Zhou, H. Y., & Zhang, J. Q. (2017). Efficacy of psychological pain theory-based cognitive therapy in suicidal patients with major depressive disorder: A pilot study. Psychiatry Research, 249, 23–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Foley, S. M. (2017). Opening up by writing it down: How expressive writing improves health and eases emotional pain. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 43(6), 596–597.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by the Nanjing Health Commission under Grant [number ZKX20030]; and the Jiangsu Province Hospital Association under Grant [number JSYGY-2-2021-411].

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yin Cheng and Shu-Yan Chen have made equal contribution to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029, Nanjing, China

    Yin Cheng & Yan-Hong Zhang

  2. School of Nursing, Nanjing Medical University, 211166, Nanjing, China

    Yin Cheng, Shu-Yan Chen & Yan-Hong Zhang

  3. Early Intervention Unit, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029, Nanjing, China

    Wei-Wei Zhao

  4. Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029, Nanjing, China

    Ge Zhang

  5. Science and Technology Department, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029, Nanjing, China

    Ting-Ting Wang

  6. Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 210029, Nanjign, China

    Zhao-Qin Wang

Authors
  1. Yin Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shu-Yan Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wei-Wei Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ge Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ting-Ting Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zhao-Qin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yan-Hong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yan-Hong Zhang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

There was no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cheng, Y., Chen, SY., Zhao, WW. et al. Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric investigation of Chinese version of the Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale in patients with depressive disorder. Qual Life Res 32, 905–914 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-022-03292-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-022-03292-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation