title: Psychogenic pain and psychological variables: a psychometric study.
abstract: A sample of 41 women suffering from psychogenic pain according to DSM-III diagnostic criteria were psychometrically studied, in order to ascertain if they showed specific psychological traits or mechanisms. Type A behavior, extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and dissimulation and hostility-aggressivity traits were the psychological variables studied both in the pain sample and in a matched control group. Psychogenic pain patients were significantly more neurotic and suspicious and less physically aggressive than healthy subjects and also scored significantly higher in dissimulation, which suggests a tendency to use defense mechanisms of denial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valdés
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Treserra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Pablo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Flores
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D010553:Personality Development; D010556:Personality Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014434:Type A Personality