title: Patterns of normal personality structure among chronic pain patients.
abstract: Fifty-nine chronic pain patients satisfying one of four previously identified pain group classifications were evaluated using the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI), a standardized measure of normal adult personality structure. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) pain subgroups differed with respect to level of NEO-PI Neuroticism. In particular, emotionally overwhelmed pain patients as defined by multiple MMPI scale elevations had higher NEO-PI Neuroticism scores. Post hoc analyses revealed higher levels of depression, anxiety, vulnerability, and hostility in emotionally overwhelmed subjects. None of the remaining groups differed from each other on NEO-PI Neuroticism. Additionally, none of the other NEO-PI domains discriminated pain subgroups. NEO-PI profiles for pain patients (except for Neuroticism in emotionally overwhelmed patients) yielded t scores in the average range, suggesting that chronic pain patients present with a relatively normal underlying personality structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VAUSA Department of Gerontology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VAUSA Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VAUSA Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VAUSA.
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Diane B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality