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Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-J) in patients with whiplash neck injury pain and/or low back pain

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Abstract

Background

Although the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) is useful for measuring fear of movement in patients with musculoskeletal pain, no psychometrically validated Japanese version is available. We evaluated the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the TSK-J (original 17-item version and shorter 11-item version).

Methods

The data subset used in this psychometric testing was derived from a survey previously conducted to collect information on musculoskeletal pain due to motor vehicle accident. For reliability, internal consistency was assessed via Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. For concurrent validity, Pearson correlation coefficients of the TSK-J with the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), euroqol 5 dimension (EQ-5D), and numerical rating scales (NRSs) for pain in the neck and back were calculated. For known-group validity, the relationship between variables (e.g., depression, somatic symptoms, treatment period) and the TSK-J score was examined.

Results

Data from 956 persons who had suffered from a motor vehicle accident were used in this analysis. For reliability, internal consistency was demonstrated, with Cronbach’s alpha statistics of 0.850 (TSK-J17) and 0.919 (TSK-J11). For concurrent validity, significantly strong correlations were demonstrated between the TSK-J versions and PCS total score and subscales (r = 0.602–0.680). For known-group validity, as hypothesized, significantly higher TSK-J scores were observed in persons with depressive mood, somatic symptoms, and longer treatment period.

Conclusions

The present analysis showed that the Japanese versions of the TSK-J17 and TSK-J11 were psychometrically reliable and valid for detecting fear of movement in the Japanese population suffering from neck to back pain due to a motor vehicle accident.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from JA Kyosai Research Institute and the Japan Labor Health and Welfare Organization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Study Support, Inc, Daiei Bldg, 2F 1-11-20 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya, 460-0858, Japan

    Norimasa Kikuchi & Takayuki Sawada

  2. Department of Public Health, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan

    Norimasa Kikuchi & Takayuki Sawada

  3. Department of Medical Research and Management for Musculoskeletal Pain, 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Ko Matsudaira & Hiroyuki Oka

Authors
  1. Norimasa Kikuchi
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  2. Ko Matsudaira
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  3. Takayuki Sawada
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  4. Hiroyuki Oka
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norimasa Kikuchi.

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Conflict of interest

NK is a board member of Clinical Study Support, Inc. and received grants to his institution from JA Kyosai Research Institute for this study. KM has no conflict of interests. TS has received grants to his institution from JA Kyosai Research Institute for this study. HO has received grants/grants pending to his institution from Pfizer Inc.

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Kikuchi, N., Matsudaira, K., Sawada, T. et al. Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-J) in patients with whiplash neck injury pain and/or low back pain. J Orthop Sci 20, 985–992 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-015-0751-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-015-0751-3

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