Dimensions of psychological dysfunction in patients with fibromyalgia: development of an Italian questionnaire.
Our objective was to observe whether dysfunctional psychological dimensions of pain could be detected in fibromyalgia patients through the development of a new questionnaire. An original questionnaire composed of 51 items was given to 250 patients (185 females and 65 males, mean age 55+/-12.8 years) suffering from chronic fibromyalgia according to the criteria of the Multicenter Criteria Committee of the American College of Rheumatology. A Varimax computerized program of factorial analysis with orthogonal and oblique rotation of the axes was used to analyze the data. Five strong independent factors were identified: 1) catastrophizing and 2) external control beliefs (cognitive); 3) alexithymia (emotional); 4) restless behavior (behavioral); and 5) need for support (relational). Our questionnaire is a preliminary development of an Italian language psychological characterization of FM patients which may be a relevant and useful tool for the evaluation of the outcome of clinical/psychological treatment of FM.
Colangelo
Nicola
N
Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence, Villa Monna Tessa, Viale Pieraccini 18, 50139, Florence, Italy.
Bertinotti
Luca
L
Nacci
Francesca
F
Conforti
Maria Letizia
ML
Beneforti
Elisabetta
E
Pignone
Alberto
A
Matucci-Cerinic
Marco
M
Zoppi
Massimo
M
D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires