Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ)
Measures patients' fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity and work in relation to their low back pain.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) was developed by Waddell G, Newton M, Henderson I, Carter D, Main CJ (1993). It is designed to measure Fear-avoidance beliefs. The scale is intended for use with Adults with low back pain.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Physical Activity, Work.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Activity | 2,3,4,5 | 4 |
| Work | 6,7,9,10,11,12,15 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Completely disagree, 1 = Disagree, 2 = Slightly disagree, 3 = Unsure, 4 = Slightly agree, 5 = Agree, 6 = Completely agree.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 42. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low risk of prolonged work disability (Work subscale): 0 – 29
- High risk of prolonged work disability (Work subscale): 30 – 42
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha: 0.77 (Physical Activity), 0.88 (Work).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.