Preliminary development and content validation of mopet–A multidomain oncology pain assessment tool for cancer care setting

Abstract

Purpose

Cancer pain affects emotional, behavioural, social, and financial well-being beyond physical symptoms. Preliminary development and to perform content validation of a Multidomain Oncology Pain Assessment Tool incorporating physical, emotional, behavioural, sleep-related, social, and financial domains, grounded in the biopsychosocial model of pain.

Methods

Mixed-method study design was used to develop and validate a pain assessment questionnaire. In the qualitative phase, focus group discussion, interviews, and expert panel reviews were conducted to generate and refine questionnaire items, ensuring cultural relevance and content validity. In the quantitative phase, healthcare professionals participated in the validation, with reliability assessed via Cronbach's alpha and content validity evaluated using S-CVI/avg scores.

Results

In this preliminary content validation, the tool demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.84–0.94) and strong expert-rated content validity (S-CVI/avg > 0.90). The inclusion of behavioural changes, emotional withdrawal, sleep disturbances, and financial burden ensured a holistic reflection of patients’ lived experiences.

Conclusions

This preliminarily validated tool provides a structured, multidimensional, patient-centred framework for assessing cancer-related pain. Further construct validity, criterion validity, and patient-level pilot testing are warranted before broader clinical deployment. Its multidimensional approach supports both pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies, enabling more accurate and compassionate pain management. Broader multi-centre validation is recommended to strengthen its applicability in diverse clinical settings.