Negative affectivity, emotion regulation, and coping in migraine and probable migraine: a New Zealand case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Migraine is a prevalent and disabling health condition. While there have been some suggestions that personality may be linked to migraine incidence, dose-response links to disability or impact are yet to be conducted and multivariate analyses are uncommon.


OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study are to evaluate the personality characteristics differentiating migraine and probable migraine sufferers from matched controls in multivariate models and assess the possibility of a dose-response relationship.


METHODS
Fifty migraine sufferers and 50 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls in New Zealand completed personality measures including negative affectivity, coping, and monitoring-blunting.


RESULTS
Logistic regressions indicated that migraine status was concurrently predicted by Type D negative affectivity, more frequent venting and planning coping, and lower monitoring. There was little evidence to suggest a consistent dose-response type effect of personality on migraine; lower impact and disability were associated with greater openness to experiences, acceptance, and behavioural disengagement.


CONCLUSIONS
A personality profile characterised by moderate levels of negative emotion and irritability together with failures in inhibitory self-regulation may be associated with an increased risk of strict and probable migraine.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Level 12, Support Building, Room 12.003, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand, chan.jadeky@gmail.com.
Jade K Y
JK
Chan
Nathan S
NS
Consedine
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009520:New Zealand; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012928:Social Desirability; D064415:Type D Personality; D055815:Young Adult