Personality and the association of pain and depression.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to test the hypotheses that pain is associated with depression independent of personality and that neuroticism moderates this association.


METHODS
Multiple regression analyses were conducted in a group of 404 older primary care patients assessed with validated measures.


RESULTS
Bodily pain was independently associated with depression. Neuroticism moderated the associations between pain and both depressive symptom severity and major depression, albeit not independent of overall medical burden; the relationships were stronger in subjects with lower neuroticism scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The association of bodily pain with depression may be greater in those previously at lower risk on account of low neuroticism.
Calabrese
Sarah K
SK
Department of Clinical Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Lyness
Jeffrey M
JM
Sörensen
Silvia
S
Duberstein
Paul R
PR
D000368:Aged; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index