Word placement on the Word-Graphic Rating Scale by pediatric patients.

A descriptive study was undertaken to determine if children located at the descriptive words ("little pain", "medium pain," and "large pain") found on the Word-Graphic Rating Scale (WGRS) as they are placed on the original scale. The convenience sample consisted of 34 hospitalized children ages 8-15 years. There were 16 males and 18 females. Children did not place word descriptors equidistant on a 100 mm line. "Little pain" was placed closer to "no pain," while "medium pain" and "large pain" placement showed no statistical difference in simultaneous placement as compared to the WGRS.