A Psychometric Assessment of a New Spanish Version of the Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) Adapted for Spanish-Speaking Mexican Americans

Chronic pain affects millions of people in the United States (U.S.), with Latinx individuals facing higher risks due to chronic illness, manual labor jobs, and limited access to healthcare and resources. Many U.S. Latinx individuals are of Mexican origin and primarily speak Spanish, highlighting the need to investigate Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans' (SS-MAs) health experiences. Psychological factors, such as pain self-efficacy (PSE; confidence in performing tasks despite pain), play a crucial role in pain management. Higher PSE is linked to increased activity engagement, but research on SS-MAs is limited partly due to the lack of culturally and linguistically adapted pain-related measures. This cross-sectional study evaluated psychometric properties (i.e., internal consistency, structural and convergent validity) of the Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) adapted for SS-MAs. A convenience sample of 182 adult SS-MAs (56.6% female; mean age=38.3 years) with chronic pain were recruited using Qualtrics Panels. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha=0.916; McDonald's omega=0.915), and a confirmatory factor analysis showed adequate structural validity (χ² (35, N=182) = 85.757, p <.001; CFI=0.929, TLI=.909, RMSEA=0.090, SRMR=0.053). Significant correlations were found between PSEQ scores and pain anxiety (r = -0.22, p <.003), catastrophizing (r = -0.15, p <.048), and interference (r = -0.15, p <.047). Although modest in strength, correlations aligned with hypothesized directions, providing preliminary evidence of convergent validity. These findings support the PSEQ's utility for SS-MAs, but further research is needed to confirm its clinical applicability. Perspective This study provides preliminary evidence that a culturally and linguistically adapted Mexican Spanish version of the Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire is reliable and valid for Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans with chronic pain. Improved measures of pain self-efficacy may enhance culturally responsive research and reduce pain-related disparities in this underserved population.