1 Before you use it
What it is
Sixteen items in two subscales — work (FABQ-W) and physical activity (FABQ-PA) — measuring the belief that work or activity is causing harm.
The work subscale is the one with weight, and it is the one that appears inside the Flynn prediction rule.
When to reach for it
Low back pain, especially where work is involved or where return to work is the goal. Also where a patient is doing the exercises but avoiding the life.
2 Giving it
Scoring
Score and report the two subscales separately. Work items total 0–42, physical activity items 0–24. Higher means stronger fear-avoidance beliefs. Not all 16 items are scored.
What it doesn’t measure
General anxiety, catastrophising or self-efficacy. Use TSK, PCS and PSEQ for those.
3 Reading the score
Interpreting it
**A FABQ-W cut-point around 34 is commonly cited as high, and under 19 appears in the Flynn rule.
Its clinical use is as a target, not a label. These are beliefs about harm, and beliefs respond to explanation and to successful graded experience.
Is the change real?
Student trap. Reporting one FABQ total. There are two subscales, they behave differently, and only one of them is in the Flynn rule.
Official source: null. We don't host the form.
This is a learning tool. It does not diagnose patients and does not replace your clinical educator.
Did this page do its job?
CliniStudy is in beta. One tap is enough — it decides what gets fixed first.