Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40977637›Full record

ArticlePaediatric anaesthesia2025

The Electronic Faces Thermometer Scale (eFTS)-Construct Validity for Pain Assessment in Pediatric Postoperative Care in Sweden.

Angelica Höök, Mia Hylén, Maria Björk, Stefan Nilsson, Jinbing Bai, Henrik Berlin, Helena Hansson, Gudrún Kristjánsdóttir, Rikard Roxner, Pernilla Stenström and 1 more

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Paediatric anaesthesia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Angelica HöökInstitute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID 0009-0006-9453-6069
Mia HylénDepartment of Intensive and Perioperative Care, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Maria BjörkThe CHILD Research Group, Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.
Stefan NilssonInstitute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-8847-9559
Jinbing BaiNell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Henrik BerlinDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
Helena HanssonDepartment of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Gudrún KristjánsdóttirFaculty of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Rikard RoxnerDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
Pernilla StenströmDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Charlotte CastorUniversity of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Funding

The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation PR2020-0026The Touring Foundation 2020-00586
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPain in children is undertreated. An assessment scale co-designed with children, parents, and health care professionals could lead to more effective pain assessments and treatment strategies aimed at reducing pain and pain-related symptoms. There are analogue scales validated for self-report of pain in children, but today, children regularly use digital technology, which healthcare should align with. The newly developed electronic Faces Thermometer Scale is a digital assessment scale that needs further validation before it may be recommended for self-reporting pain intensity.

aimsThe study aimed to determine the convergent and discriminant validity of a new digital pain assessment scale in a pediatric postoperative setting.

methodsThe study was performed at a pediatric surgery department in southern Sweden. A total of 88 children were included, generating 716 assessments. Convergent validity was established by comparing the well-validated Colored Analogue Scale and Faces Pain Scale Revised with the electronic Faces Thermometer Scale. Pain assessments were conducted at three different time points: one before surgery, one once the participant became alert and aware, and one 30-45 min after the second time point. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Discriminant validity was established by comparing a potential non-painful situation with a painful situation using the electronic Faces Thermometer Scale.

resultsThe agreement between the scales at different time points, as well as across different ages and gender, showed a statistically significant correlation: Kendall's Tau B correlation coefficient varied between 0.61 and 0.79 at different time points. The electronic Faces Thermometer Scale was able to discriminate pain across different age groups and genders. There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and postoperative assessments, and the Clopper-Pearson proportion ranged from 0.70 to 0.90.

conclusionsThe electronic Faces Thermometer Scale provides a valid digital scale for self-report of pain within pediatric postoperative care.

Indexed as

Pain MeasurementPostoperative CarePostoperative PainAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantMaleReproducibility of ResultsSwedene‐healthpain assessmentpediatricvalidation postoperative

Identifiers

PMID40977637
PMCPMC12603880

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