Validation of the Danish version of the knowledge and attitudes survey regarding pain

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Pain management is critical for nurses; therefore, knowledge assessment is also critical. The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP), designed for testing pain management knowledge among nurses, finds widespread use internationally; yet, key validity evidence according to American Psychological Association standards is missing. Therefore, this study aimed to translate and test the psychometric traits of KASRP based on an item response theory model. Methods Cronbach’s α was included to assess internal consistency, and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was included to assess the total score normal distribution goodness of fit. KASRP was tested using the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) test for sphericity to examine its suitability for factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis to examine construct evidence. The Kruskal–Wallis H test was used to assess discriminant evidence. The correlation between KASRP and the Brockopp–Warden Pain Knowledge Questionnaire (BWPKQ) was included as a measure of convergent validity evidence, and correlation with self-assessed knowledge was tested as a divergent validity measure. Results The questionnaire was translated using back-forth and parallel translation. The KMO test for sphericity was 0.49 for all items and 0.53 for the adjusted scale without items 30, 33, and 36, with factor analysis explaining 70.42% of the variation suggesting unacceptable construct validity evidence. Cronbach’s α was 0.75, suggesting acceptable reliability evidence; the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test revealed an insignificant skewness of −0.195 and a kurtosis of 0.001, while the Kruskal–Wallis H test revealed a significance of p < 0.001. The correlation between KASRP and the BWPKQ was 0.69 (p = 0.0001), suggesting acceptable convergent validity evidence. A correlation between KASRP and self-assessed knowledge of −0.59 was also found, which suggests acceptable divergent validity evidence. Conclusions The translated KASRP passed six out of seven tests based on the given sample.