The German counterpart to McGill Pain Questionnaire

Abstract

This study presents a German version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) developed by strict adherence to the methodology originally employed by Melzack and Torgerson. Three groups of subjects participated: The first group (n = 40) was used to construct a 5-point intensity scale. The second group (n = 42) was presented a preliminary translation of the MPQ and asked to assign an intensity rating out of the 5-point intensity scale to each of the 78 adjectives. In the last phase, adjectives whose mean ratings differed markedly from those in the original MPQ were resubmitted, along with 3–4 synonyms to a third group (n = 40) who was again asked to assign an intensity value to each word. Finally, the adjectives whose ratings corresponded closest, and thus resulted in congruent rank positions to those of the English originals, were selected. The present counterpart to the MPQ retains the original grouping of adjectives, the identical number of words per group as well as their rank positions within groups. Thus a comparison between German and English mean ratings, rank values and number of words chosen as well as statistical calculations derived therefrom is feasible.