Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is common, and social isolation is both a risk factor for poor recovery and a consequence. However, no studies seem to have validated social isolation measures in LBP populations. Aims: This study assessed the validity of the Friendship Scale (FS), a brief measure of...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
2013
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54936 |
| _version_ | 1848759502153711616 |
|---|---|
| author | Hawthorne, G. De Morton, N. Kent, Peter |
| author_facet | Hawthorne, G. De Morton, N. Kent, Peter |
| author_sort | Hawthorne, G. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Low back pain (LBP) is common, and social isolation is both a risk factor for poor recovery and a consequence. However, no studies seem to have validated social isolation measures in LBP populations. Aims: This study assessed the validity of the Friendship Scale (FS), a brief measure of social isolation. Methods: LBP participants were 100 consecutive consenting adult patients attending physiotherapy outpatient clinics, matched (1:2) by age and gender with a general population sample (GPS; n=200). FS validation was through factor analysis, internal consistency, sensitivity by known groups, and Rasch analysis. Results: There were significant differences between LPB and GPS on 5 of the 6 FS items. Social isolation on the FS was reported by 26% of the LBP cohort compared with 9% of the GPS. All FS items loaded on the principal component < 0.60, suggesting unidimensionality. Internal consistency was α=0.81. The FS was sensitive by pain severity and study cohort. Rasch analysis showed no disordered items, although 2 items were marginally misfitting. Differential item functioning by sex was observed on 1 item; there was no other observed differential item functioning. After removal of the worst fitting item (feeling alone), the remaining items fit the Rasch model. This, however, may have been a function of study samples. Conclusions: Generally, the FS performed well, and its descriptive system contains excess capacity beyond that needed in the study population; that is, those with LBP were not particularly socially isolated, and responses indicating severe social isolation were barely reported by these participants. Overall, the FS appears to be a suitable instrument for assessing social isolation among LBP patients. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:00:54Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-54936 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:00:54Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-549362017-09-13T16:11:34Z Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain Hawthorne, G. De Morton, N. Kent, Peter Background: Low back pain (LBP) is common, and social isolation is both a risk factor for poor recovery and a consequence. However, no studies seem to have validated social isolation measures in LBP populations. Aims: This study assessed the validity of the Friendship Scale (FS), a brief measure of social isolation. Methods: LBP participants were 100 consecutive consenting adult patients attending physiotherapy outpatient clinics, matched (1:2) by age and gender with a general population sample (GPS; n=200). FS validation was through factor analysis, internal consistency, sensitivity by known groups, and Rasch analysis. Results: There were significant differences between LPB and GPS on 5 of the 6 FS items. Social isolation on the FS was reported by 26% of the LBP cohort compared with 9% of the GPS. All FS items loaded on the principal component < 0.60, suggesting unidimensionality. Internal consistency was α=0.81. The FS was sensitive by pain severity and study cohort. Rasch analysis showed no disordered items, although 2 items were marginally misfitting. Differential item functioning by sex was observed on 1 item; there was no other observed differential item functioning. After removal of the worst fitting item (feeling alone), the remaining items fit the Rasch model. This, however, may have been a function of study samples. Conclusions: Generally, the FS performed well, and its descriptive system contains excess capacity beyond that needed in the study population; that is, those with LBP were not particularly socially isolated, and responses indicating severe social isolation were barely reported by these participants. Overall, the FS appears to be a suitable instrument for assessing social isolation among LBP patients. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54936 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31824b3aed Lippincott Williams & Wilkins restricted |
| spellingShingle | Hawthorne, G. De Morton, N. Kent, Peter Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| title | Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| title_full | Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| title_fullStr | Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| title_short | Back pain and social isolation: Cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| title_sort | back pain and social isolation: cross-sectional validation of the friendship scale for use in studies on low back pain |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54936 |