Scale Overview
The Family Pain Questionnaire (FPQ) was developed by Betty R. Ferrell, Michelle Rhiner, Luisa M. Rivera (1993). It is designed to measure Caregiver knowledge and experience of cancer pain management. The scale is intended for use with Family caregivers of cancer patients.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Knowledge, Experience.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Knowledge |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 |
9 |
| Experience |
10,11,12,13,14,15,16 |
7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Disagree / No pain / Complete relief / Will get better, 10 = Agree / A great deal / No relief / Will get worse.
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 160. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low pain management barriers and caregiver distress: 0 – 53
- Moderate pain management barriers and caregiver distress: 54 – 106
- High pain management barriers and caregiver distress: 107 – 160
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of r = 0.80 (test-retest).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.