Which psychological and psychosocial constructs are important to measure in future tendinopathy clinical trials? A modified international Delphi study with expert clinician/researchers and people with tendinopathy.

to identify which psychological and psychosocial constructs to include in a core outcome set to guide future clinical trials in the tendinopathy field. modified International Delphi study. In three online Delphi rounds, we presented 35 psychological and psychosocial constructs to an international panel of 38 clinician/researchers and people with tendinopathy. Using a 9-point Likert scale (1 - not important to include, 9 -critical to include), consensus for construct inclusion required ≥70% of respondents rating (score ≥ 7) and ≤15% rating 'not important to include' (score ≤3). Consensus for exclusion required ≥70% of respondents rating ' (score ≤ 3) and ≤15% of rating 'critical to include' (score ≥ 7). Thirty-six participants (95% of 38) completed round one, 90% (n=34) completed round two and 87% (n=33) completed round three. Four constructs were deemed important to include as part of a core outcome set: kinesiophobia (82%, median: 8, inter quartile range (IQR): 1.0), pain beliefs (76%, median: -7, IQR: 1.0), pain related self-efficacy (71% median: 7, IQR: 2.0) and fear avoidance beliefs (73%, median: -7, IQR: 1.0). Six constructs were deemed not important to include: perceived injustice (82%), individual attitudes of family members (74%), social isolation and loneliness (73%), job satisfaction (73%), coping (70%) and educational attainment (70%). Clinician/researchers and people with tendinopathy reached consensus that kinesiophobia, pain beliefs, pain self-efficacy and fear avoidance beliefs were important psychological constructs to measure in tendinopathy clinical trials.