Table 4.
Pain: examples of multidimensional scales
| Scale | Methods of | Valid for administration |
| Edmonton symptom assessment scale (ESAS) | Visual | Daily assessment of oncological patients undergoing palliative care. It assesses quality of life and pain through 3 different dimensions: sensory-discriminative; affective-motivational; cognitive-evaluative |
| McGill Pain Questionnaire | Verbal and Visual | 78 pain descriptors (assessing sensory, affective and evaluative dimensions) are divided in 20 items assessing 4 measures of clinical pain: sensory; affective; evaluative; miscellaneous. There is also an human body schema |
| Brief Pain Inventory (Short form) | Verbal and Visual | It assesses most common oncological pain. 15 items assesses the presence of pain during last 24 hours, its position, intensity, relief, and its impact on quality of life (7 areas of psychosocial and physical activities) |
| Descriptor Differential Scale | Verbal and Visual | It assesses sensory intensity and complaint |
| Pain Assessment In Advanced Dementia scale (PAINAD) | Verbal and Visual | For patients with severe cognitive impairment. It assesses 5 indicators: breathing; negative vocalization; facial expression; body language; consolability |
| Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) | Self-report | It assesses the subjective distress and the impact of pain on patient’s lives (life interference, support, life control, pain severity, affective distress); the responses by significant others (distracting, negative or solicitous) and the activities (households, activities away from home, social activities, outdoor work) |
| West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain inventory (WHYMPI) | Self- report | It assesses chronic pain. 52 item investigating: perceived interference of pain in vocational; social/recreational, and family/marital functioning; support or concern from spouse or significant other, pain severity, perceived life control, and 5 affective distress |
| Pain Disability Index (PDI) | Self-report | It assesses chronic pain. 7 items assess the degree to which aspects of patient’s life are disrupted by chronic pain, such as: family/home responsibilities, recreation, social activity, occupation, sexual behavior, self care, and life-support activities |
Adapted from: Foà, La Sala, Tonarelli, Taffurelli, Sestigiani. In Artioli, Copelli, Foà, La Sala (2016)