title: Impaired functioning and quality of life in severe migraine: the role of catastrophizing and associated symptoms.
abstract: Migraine characteristics are associated with impaired functioning and quality of life (Fn/QoL), but the impact of other factors on Fn/QoL in headache patients is largely unexplored. We examined catastrophizing, comorbid anxiety/depression and migraine characteristics as related to Fn/QoL, and explored the consistency of these relationships across five Fn/QoL measures. We evaluated 232 frequent migraine sufferers for comorbid psychiatric diagnosis, and they completed anxiety, depression and catastrophizing measures, recorded migraine characteristics in a diary and completed five Fn/QoL measures (four self-report questionnaires, one diary disability measure). Backward regression revealed catastrophizing and severity of associated symptoms (photophobia, phonophobia, nausea) independently predicted Fn/QoL across all five measures (beta weights 0.16-0.50, all P < 0.01). This is the first demonstration that a psychological response to migraines (catastrophizing) is associated with impaired Fn/QoL independent of migraine characteristics and other demographic and psychological variables. Severity of associated symptoms also emerged as an important contributor to Fn/QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA. holroyd@ohio.edu
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Holroyd
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Romanek
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heh
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*