What Do People Who Score Highly on the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia Really Believe? A Mixed Methods Investigation in People With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain

Abstract

Objectives: The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) has been used to identify people with back pain who have high levels of "fear of movement" to direct them into fear reduction interventions. However, there is considerable debate as to what construct(s) the scale measures. Somatic Focus and Activity Avoidance subscales identified in factor analytic studies remain poorly defined. Using a mixed methods design, this study sought to understand the beliefs that underlie high scores on the TSK to better understand what construct(s) it measures. Methods: In-depth qualitative interviews with 36 adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain (average duration = 7 y), scoring highly on the TSK (average..