Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ)
Measures the cognitive and emotional representations of illness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) was developed by Broadbent E., Petrie K. J., Main J., & Weinman J. (2006). It is designed to measure Illness perceptions. The scale is intended for use with Adults and elderly experiencing physical or mental illness.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 8 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Cognitive Representations, Emotional Representations.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Representations | 1,2,3,4,5,7 | 6 |
| Emotional Representations | 6,8 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = 0 (Minimum/Not at all), 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = 9, 10 = 10 (Maximum/Severely).
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 80. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low perceived illness threat: 0 – 26
- Moderate perceived illness threat: 27 – 53
- High perceived illness threat: 54 – 80
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Good test-retest reliability.
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.