The Risk Factors of Chronic Pain Checklist (RFCP-CK) A New Screening and Assessment Tool for Victims of Violence and Non-Victims

Background/Objectives: Chronic pain in women arises from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. Despite its impact, validated screens for these bio-psycho-social risk factors are lacking. This study aimed to develop and validate a new screening and assessment tool to prevent chronic pain onset and detect hidden experiences of violence or trauma in women, also supporting individualized treatment.
Methods: Conducted from December 2023 to June 2024 as part of a larger project, the original instrument comprised 36 bio-psycho-social risk factors. Rasch analysis was used for validation, assessing Infit, Outfit, DIF, ROC curves, and reliability indexes.
Results: The sample included 239 women (100 victims), with 103 experiencing chronic pain, and 136 pain-free. Seven items were excluded due to poor fit, resulting in a 29-item version that met Rasch model criteria.
Conclusions: The validated 29-item checklist, available in Italian, supports the bio-psycho-social model by identifying risk factors for chronic pain onset and detecting violence-related variables in diagnosed individuals. It offers clinicians and operators a practical tool to guide prevention and tailor personalized treatments. In addition, the RFCP-CK holds forensic relevance by offering measurable indicators that can support medico-legal evaluations, especially in cases where chronic pain is claimed to be a consequence of violence.