French-Canadian adaptation and validation of the adolescents’ Pain Coping Questionnaire

Background: Musculoskeletal pain affects one in four children, making it the fourth leading cause of disability among youth. The Pain Coping Questionnaire (PCQ) is a well-established instrument for assessing pain-related coping responses; however, no validated French-Canadian version currently exists. Aims: This research sought to adapt and validate a French-Canadian PCQ (PCQ-F) version for adolescents with musculoskeletal conditions. Methods: The PCQ was translated into French and reviewed for clarity before its administration to adolescents (ages 10-20) experiencing significant musculoskeletal pain. Validity was evaluated through exploratory factor analysis and its correlation with the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI), and reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Results: ≤ 0.36) with the CPTS-RI. The factorial structure explained 65.40% of the variance and demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency for both first- and second-order scales (α ≥ 0.608). Conclusion: This study addresses the lack of a validated French-Canadian version of the PCQ. Through a cross-cultural adaptation and validation, the resulting PCQ-F demonstrates similar psychometric properties and a factor structure largely consistent with the original instrument. The PCQ-F offers a valid and reliable tool for assessing pain-related coping responses and may support both clinical assessment and future research aimed at promoting adaptive coping and reducing maladaptive cognitive and behavioral responses to pain.