title: Global appropriateness of pain drawings: blind ratings predict patterns of psychological distress and litigation status.
abstract: Previous studies examining pain drawings of low back pain patients have shown conflicting results in predicting elevations of MMPI scores. A study of 82 patients whose drawings were rated only for overall, anatomical appropriateness was conducted using the SCL-90 rather than the MMPI as the psychological assessment instrument. Significant differences were found between appropriate and inappropriate drawings; however, these differences seem to reflect differences in cognitive style of coping with pain as opposed to psychopathology. The implications and limitations of the study are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012684:Sensory Thresholds