CAIE A-Level Psychology A2 3.3.2 Measuring Pain Topic Practice

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).

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)

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.

Explain two weaknesses with the rating scales used by the 3-8-year-old children.

Up to 2 marks for each weakness $\times 2$.

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.