Background:

The paradoxical differences identified between the way people experience pain, regardless of its intensity, and the suffering associated with it relate to value and belief systems.

Objective:

To validate the Meaning in Suffering Test (MIST) for the Portuguese population and determine its psychometric characteristics.

Methodology:

This study presents the process of cross-cultural adaptation, carried out on a sample of 187 people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), using a sociodemographic and clinical data questionnaire and the Teste de Sentido no Sofrimento (Portuguese version of the MIST - MIST-P).

Results:

The sample was mostly composed of women, with a mean age of 49.9±12.1 years. The MIST-P obtained a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.833, meaning a good reliability. The factorial analysis organized the 12 items into two factors: Meaning and responses to suffering and Subjective characteristics in the face of suffering. The scale shows stability over time (r = 0.844).

Conclusion:

The MIST-P is a valid and reliable tool for the Portuguese population with RMDs and can be applied in research and clinical practices aimed at the prevention, control, and integration of inevitable suffering.

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