General Outcome Measurements: Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ)

The Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) is a self-report questionnaire used to assess an individual's beliefs about the relationship between their pain and physical activity. Specifically, the questionnaire assesses an individual's level of fear-avoidance beliefs related to physical activity and work. Fear-avoidance beliefs refer to the belief that physical activity or work may cause or worsen pain, and therefore should be avoided.

The FABQ is typically used with individuals who are experiencing musculoskeletal pain, particularly low back pain. It is often used in clinical and research settings to assess the impact of fear-avoidance beliefs on an individual's pain and disability, as well as to guide treatment and management strategies.

The questionnaire can be used with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, and is appropriate for use in a variety of healthcare settings, including primary care, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. It is particularly useful for identifying individuals who may benefit from targeted interventions to address fear-avoidance beliefs and promote physical activity.

The FABQ can be administered at any point in an individual's care, from initial assessment to ongoing management and follow-up. It is often used in combination with other assessment tools to provide a comprehensive picture of an individual's pain and disability.

The Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) produces two scores: the FABQ-Physical Activity (FABQ-PA) score and the FABQ-Work score. Each score ranges from 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating higher levels of fear-avoidance beliefs related to physical activity or work.

nterpreting the results of the FABQ involves comparing an individual's scores to established cut-off scores. A cut-off score of 15 or higher on the FABQ-PA is generally considered indicative of high levels of fear-avoidance beliefs related to physical activity, while a score of 28 or higher on the FABQ-Work is generally considered indicative of high levels of fear-avoidance beliefs related to work.

References:

1. Waddell, G., Newton, M., Henderson, I., Somerville, D., & Main, C. J. (1993). A Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) and the role of fear-avoidance beliefs in chronic low back pain and disability. Pain, 52(2), 157-168.
2. Grotle, M., Brox, J. I., Veierod, M. B., & Glomsrod, B. (2005). Clinical course and impact of fear-avoidance beliefs in low back pain: prospective cohort study of acute and chronic low back pain: II. Spine, 30(15), 1630-1637.
3. Fritz, J. M., & George, S. Z. (2002). The use of a fear-avoidance model to explain disability in workers with low back pain. Physical therapy, 82(8), 776-788.
4. Sullivan, M. J., Bishop, S. R., & Pivik, J. (1995). The Pain Catastrophizing Scale: development and validation. Psychological assessment, 7(4), 524-532.
5. Vlaeyen, J. W., & Linton, S. J. (2012). Fear-avoidance model of chronic musculoskeletal pain: 12 years on. Pain, 153(6), 1144-1147.