The aim was to perform a translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric evaluation of the Spanish version of the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia for Temporomandibular Disorders (TSK-TMD-S). The study sample included 110 patients with TMD. We translated and cross-culturally adapted the TSK-TMD-S using standard methodology and analysed its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity, floor and ceiling effects, and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis extracted two factors and 10 items deemed essential for the scale. The TSK-TMD-S demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α of 0.843, 0.938, and 0.885 for the entire scale, activity avoidance subscale, and somatic focus subscale, respectively; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.81-0.9). No floor or ceiling effects were identified for this final version of the scale. The TSK-TMD-S total score showed moderate positive correlation with the craniofacial pain and disability inventory, visual analogue scale, general TSK and pain catastrophizing scale, and a moderate negative correlation with maximal mouth-opening. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the subclassification employed for the TSK-TMD-S discriminates different kinesiophobia levels with a diagnostic accuracy between sufficient and good. The optimal cut-off point for considering kinesiophobia is 23 points. TSK-TMD-S appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring kinesiophobia in patients with TMD.
Keywords: fear of movement; kinesiophobia; psychometric properties; temporomandibular disorders.