CAIE A-Level Psychology Measuring Pain
Practise clinical interviews, child rating scales and behavioural observation, selecting age-appropriate pain measures and evaluating validity and reliability.
- Syllabus
- 2028–2030
- Course
- Psychology 9990
- Level
- A2
Exam points
- select an age-appropriate faces, numerical or verbal scale and explain how its score represents pain
- use UAB categories such as guarding, bracing, rubbing or grimacing in a structured observation
- evaluate interview and observation measures through subjectivity, reactivity and inter-rater reliability
3.3.2—Measuring pain question 1
[Maximum number: 10]
From the key study by Brudvik et al. (2016) on pain assessments by doctors, parents and children:
Question (a)
(a)
Outline one rating scale completed by the 3-8-year-old children.
[ 2 ]
Outline one rating scale completed by the 3-8-year-old children.
Syllabus: 3.3.2 Key Study on comparing pain assessments by doctors, parents and children: Brudvik et al. (2016).
Marks: Award 2 marks for a detailed outline.
Award 1 mark for a partial outline.
Definitive answers:
- the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (1) which has 6 faces showing 0-10 increasing levels of pain (2)
- the Faces Pain Scale (FPS-R) (1) which also has 6 faces with a 0-10 scale (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) (2).
Question (b)
(b)
Outline one rating scale completed by the 9-15-year-old children.
[ 2 ]
Outline one rating scale completed by the 9-15-year-old children.
Award 2 marks for a detailed outline.
Award 1 mark for a partial outline.
Definitive answers:
- the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (1) often a line drawn on paper with a severity scale. Like the 'Coloured' below, but without colours (2)
- the Coloured Analogue Scale (CAS) (1) which has a line on a piece of paper with pain severity ranging from 0 (green) to 100 (red) (2)
Question (c)
(c)
Suggest one way in which a child's pain can be assessed, other than using a rating scale.
[ 2 ]
Suggest one way in which a child's pain can be assessed, other than using a rating scale.
Award 2 marks for an appropriate suggestion stated and applied to study with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate suggestion identified but not applied.
Answers may include:
- by using a clinical interview (1) the child can be asked questions (at a young child's level) such as 'point to where it hurts' (2)
- by observing the child's behaviour (1) such as whether they are crying, limping, holding an area (2).
NOTE: 0 marks for MPQ (because it is for adults); 0 marks for PPQ (which is for children but uses a rating scale).
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
Question (d)
(d)
Explain two weaknesses with the rating scales used by the 3-8-year-old children.
[ 4 ]
Explain two weaknesses with the rating scales used by the 3-8-year-old children.
Up to 2 marks for each weakness ×2.
Award 2 marks for an appropriate weakness stated and applied as required by the question with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate weakness stated but not applied.
Answers may include:
- children might be in too much pain (1) to want to complete a rating scale such as the Wong-Baker faces scale (2)
- children may not understand what they are required to do (1)
- the measure is not valid ( 1 ) the 'smiley face' may not translate into actual pain or the type of pain the child is experiencing (2)
- the smiley face may not be reliable (1), but then again, the level of pain can also change (2).
NOTE: 0 marks for response bias/social desirability (participant bias, not rating scale)
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
All question bank results loaded