WEST HAVEN-YALE MULTIDIMENSIONAL PAIN INVENTORY
Kerns, Turk & Rudy (1985)
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, PLEASE ANSWER 2 PRE-EVALUATION QUESTIONS
BELOW:
1. Some of the questions in this questionnaire refer to your significant other. A
significant other is a person with whom you feel closest. This includes anyone that
you relate to on a regular or infrequent basis. It is very important that you identify
someone as your significant other. Please indicate below who your significant
other is (check one):
Spouse Partner/Companion Housemate/Roomate
Friend Neighbor Parent/Child/Other relative
Other (please describe):
2. Do you currently live with this person? YES NO
When you answer questions in the following pages about your significant other,
always respond in reference to the specific person you just indicated above.
A.
In the following 20 questions, you will be asked to describe your pain and how it
affects your life. Under each question is a scale to record your answer. Read each
question carefully and then circle a number on the scale under that question to
indicate how that specific question applies to you.
[Link] the level of your pain at the present moment.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No pain Very intense pain
[Link] general, how much does your pain problem interfere with your day to day
activities?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No intereference Extreme interference
[Link] the time you developed a pain problem, how much has your pain changed
your ability to work?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
___ Check here, if you have retired for reasons other than your pain
problem
4. How much has your pain changed the amount of satisfaction or enjoyment you get
from participating in social and recreational activities?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
5. How supportive or helpful is your spouse (significant other) to you in relation to
your pain?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all supportive Extremely supportive
6. Rate your overall mood during the past week.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Extremely low mood Extremely high mood
7. On the average, how severe has your pain been during the last week?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all severe Extremely severe
8. How much has your pain changed your ability to participate in recreational and
other social activities?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
9. How much has your pain changed the amount of satisfaction you get from family-
related activities?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
10. How worried is your spouse (significant other) about you in relation to your pain
problem?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all worried Extremely worried
11. During the past week, how much control do you feel that you have had over your
life?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all in control Extremely in control
12. How much suffering do you experience because of your pain?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No suffering Extreme suffering
13. How much has your pain changed your marriage and other family relationships?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
14. How much has your pain changed the amount of satisfaction or enjoyment you get
from work?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
__ Check here, if you are not presently working.
15. How attentive is your spouse (significant other) to your pain problem?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all attentive Extremely attentive
16. During the past week, how much do you feel that youve been able to deal with
your problems?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all Extremely well
17. How much has your pain changed your ability to do household chores?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
18. During the past week, how irritable have you been?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all irritable Extremely irritable
19. How much has your pain changed your friendships with people other than your
family?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
No change Extreme change
20. During the past week, how tense or anxious have you been?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Not at all tense or anxious Extremely tense or
anxious
B.
In this section, we are interested in knowing how your significant other (this refers to
the person you indicated above) responds to you when he or she knows that you are in
pain. On the scale listed below each question, circle a number to indicate how often
your significant other generally responds to you in that particular way when you are in
pain.
1. Ignores me.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
2. Asks me what he/she can do to help.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
3. Reads to me.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
4. Expresses irritation at me.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
5. Takes over my jobs or duties.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
6. Talks to me about something else to take my mind off the pain.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
7. Expresses frustration at me.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
8. Tries to get me to rest.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
9. Tries to involve me in some activity
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
10. Expresses anger at me.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
11. Gets me some pain medications.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
12. Encourages me to work on a hobby.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
13. Gets me something to eat or drink.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
14. Turns on the T.V. to take my mind off my pain
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
C.
Listed below are 18 common daily activities. Please indicate how often you
do each of these activities by circling a number on the scale listed below each
activity. Please complete all 18 questions.
1. Wash dishes.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
2. Mow the lawn.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
3. Go out to eat.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
4. Play cards or other games.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
5. Go grocery shopping.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
6. Work in the garden.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
7. Go to a movie.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
8. Visit friends.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
9. Help with the house cleaning.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
10. Work on the car.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
11. Take a ride in a car.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
12. Visit relatives.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
13. Prepare a meal.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
14. Wash the car.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
15. Take a trip.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
16. Go to a park or beach.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
17. Do a load of laundry.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
18. Work on a needed house repair.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Never Very often
Source: Kerns, R.D., Turk, D.C., & Rudy, T.E. (1985). The West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain
Inventory (WHYMPI). Pain, 23, 345-56.
Reproduced with permission
