Abstract

This study examined the normal personality characteristics of chronic pain patients using cluster analysis. To date, much of the research involving chronic pain and personality has assumed that signs of psychopathology are likely to be present (Jay, Grove, and Grove, 1987; Love and Peck, 1987). There have been some exceptions to this trend by researchers who sought to measure the normal personality structure of individuals with chronic pain (see Wade, Dougherty, Hart, and Cook, 1992). One of central aims of the current study was to further refine the psychosocial taxonomy of chronic pain patients by paying more attention to individual differences in predominant behavior patterns and traits. The instruments utilized for this purpose were the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (Kerns, Turk, and Rudy, 1985) and the Revised NEO PI-R Personality Inventory (Costa and McCrae, 1992). A hierarchical cluster analysis using Ward’s method of minimum variance identified three separate homogeneous clusters of pain patients. The three clusters of patients were labeled “well-adjusted,” “pain-disabled,” and “turmoil-laden,” respectively. They resembled the subtypes identified by Turk and Rudy (1987,1988) with an added dimension of personality. The well-adjusted individuals reported a good balance of the various personality elements, such as being emotionally stable and moderately extraverted. The second cluster of patients (pain-disabled) displayed more dysfunction in terms of their ability to regulate their pain, emotions, and activity level. Finally, the turmoil-laden group reported the highest degree of Neuroticism and the lowest degree of Extraversion, among other things. The validity of this three-cluster solution was supported by discriminant analysis and by significant differences among the groups on relevant clinical variables (e.g., visual analogue scales) and multiple facet scales of the NEO PI-R. The significant differences among the clusters generally conformed to the hypotheses made, thus supporting the predictive utility of the current pain taxonomy. In addition, the pattern of scale elevations has clinical implications that await validation by future outcome studies.

LLU Discipline

Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Janet Sonne

Second Advisor

John Flora-Tosado

Third Advisor

Paul Haerich

Fourth Advisor

Matt Riggs

Fifth Advisor

Susan Roche

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2002

Date (Title Page)

8-2002

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Chronic Disease -- psychology; Pain -- psychology.

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

xi; 126

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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