Biomaterial Database

Alexithymia in chronic pain patients. 1997

M A Lumley, and L A Asselin, and S Norman

Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.

Prior studies of alexithymia in chronic pain patients have used unvalidated alexithymia measures or have not controlled for treatment-seeking status. In this study, we compared 30 patients with chronic pain and patients seeking treatment for two other problems: nicotine dependence (n = 32) or moderate obesity (n = 25). Alexithymia was assessed with the well-validated Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and also with the Alexithymia Provoked Response Questionnaire (APRQ). On both alexithymia measures, chronic pain patients were more alexithymic than nicotine-dependent and obese patients; the latter two groups did not differ. Chronic pain patients had greater psychopathology on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), and both alexithymia measures correlated positively with certain types of psychopathology. We conclude that alexithymia is increased among patients with chronic pain, that this relationship is not confounded by a treatment-seeking bias, and that alexithymia may contribute to both chronic pain and psychopathology.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D008950	MMPI	A personality inventory consisting of statements to be asserted or denied by the individual. The patterns of response are characteristic of certain personality attributes.	Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
D009765	Obesity	A status with BODY WEIGHT that is grossly above the recommended standards, usually due to accumulation of excess FATS in the body. The standards may vary with age, sex, genetic or cultural background. In the BODY MASS INDEX, a BMI greater than 30.0 kg/m2 is considered obese, and a BMI greater than 40.0 kg/m2 is considered morbidly obese (MORBID OBESITY).
D010146	Pain	An unpleasant sensation induced by noxious stimuli which are detected by NERVE ENDINGS of NOCICEPTIVE NEURONS.	Suffering, Physical,Ache,Pain, Burning,Pain, Crushing,Pain, Migratory,Pain, Radiating,Pain, Splitting,Aches,Burning Pain,Burning Pains,Crushing Pain,Crushing Pains,Migratory Pain,Migratory Pains,Pains, Burning,Pains, Crushing,Pains, Migratory,Pains, Radiating,Pains, Splitting,Physical Suffering,Physical Sufferings,Radiating Pain,Radiating Pains,Splitting Pain,Splitting Pains,Sufferings, Physical
D010554	Personality Disorders	A major deviation from normal patterns of behavior.	Avoidant Personality Disorder,Impulse-Ridden Personality,Inadequate Personality,Avoidant Personality Disorders,Impulse Ridden Personality,Personality Disorder,Personality Disorder, Avoidant,Personality Disorders, Avoidant,Personality, Impulse-Ridden,Personality, Inadequate
D011581	Psychological Tests	Standardized tests designed to measure abilities (as in intelligence, aptitude, and achievement tests) or to evaluate personality traits.	Parenting Stress Index,Trier Social Stress Test,Trier Stress Test,Psychologic Tests,Psychological Test,Test, Psychological,Tests, Psychological,Index, Parenting Stress,Psychologic Test,Stress Index, Parenting,Stress Test, Trier,Test, Psychologic,Test, Trier Stress,Trier Stress Tests
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002908	Chronic Disease	Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2).	Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D003072	Cognition Disorders	Disorders characterized by disturbances in mental processes related to learning, thinking, reasoning, and judgment.	Overinclusion,Disorder, Cognition,Disorders, Cognition