Using and Scoring the IPQ-R Subscales

It is advisable to have a good read of the IPQ-R paper before you use the questionnaire. The paper can be
downloaded from this website. As outlined in the paper, the questionnaire can be adapted for particular
groups. Items relevant to the identity and causes of the illness can readily be inserted into the
questionnaire.
The pdf English version of the IPQ-R on this website asks the questions in relation to illness. Wherever
possible, the word illness should be replaced with the name of the particular illness or condition under
study e.g. diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome.
SCORING THE IPQ-R
Please note:
High scores on the identity, timeline, consequences, and cyclical dimensions represent strongly held
beliefs about the number of symptoms attributed to the illness, the chronicity of the condition, the
negative consequences of the illness, and the cyclical nature of the condition.
High scores on the personal control, treatment control and coherence dimensions, represent positive
beliefs about the controllability of the illness and a personal understanding of the condition.
Coding: for identity scale yes = 1; no = 0
strongly disagree =1, disagree =2, neither agree or disagree = 3, agree = 4, strongly agree = 5
Reverse score: IP1, IP4, IP8, IP15, IP17, IP18, IP19, IP23, IP24, IP25, IP26, IP27, IP36
1.

Identity: sum yes-rated symptoms in column 2 (this symptom is related to my illness) on p. 1

2.

Timeline (acute/chronic): sum items IP1 - IP5 + IP18

3.

Consequences: sum items IP6 - IP11

4.

Personal control: sum items IP12 - 1P17

5.

Treatment control items: sum items IP19 IP23

6.

Illness coherence items: sum items IP24 IP28

7.

Timeline cyclical: sum items IP29 IP32

8.

Emotional representations: sum items IP33 IP38

9.

Causes:items C1 - C18
Do not use these as a scale. Start analysis with separate items - used as grouping variables (ie
those who do/do not believe in a specific causal factor). With a sufficient sample size (n=85 or
more), factor analysis can be used to identify groups of causal beliefs ( eg lifestyle ; stress etc)
which can then be used as sub-scales (see the following papers for examples).

SPPSS SYNTAX
This SPSS syntax file can be used to compute the IPQ-R subscales if you have some missing data from
participants on select items. On subscales with 6 items we have allowed for a maximum of 2 missing
items. For the remainder we have allowed for a maximum of 1 missing item per subscale.
RECODE ip1 ip4 ip8 ip15 ip17 ip18 ip19 ip23 ip24 ip25 ip26 ip27 ip36 (1=5) (2=4) (4=2) (5=1).
COMPUTE timeline = 6*MEAN.4(ip1,ip2,ip3,ip4,ip5,ip18).
COMPUTE timecycl = 4*MEAN.3(ip29,ip30,ip31,ip32) .
COMPUTE conseque = 6*MEAN.4(ip6,ip7,ip8,ip9,ip10,ip11).
COMPUTE perscon = 6*MEAN.4(ip12,ip13,ip14,ip15,ip16,ip17) .
COMPUTE treatcon = 5*MEAN.4(ip19,ip20,ip21,ip22,ip23).
COMPUTE illcoher = 5*MEAN.4(ip24,ip25,ip26,ip27,ip28).
COMPUTE emotrepr = 6*MEAN.4(ip33,ip34,ip35,ip36,ip37,ip38).
EXECUTE .