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MMPI personality profiles were obtained from three clinical groups (n = 79). One group consisted of men and women with chronic muscle pain (MP; n = 34), a second group of male and female chronic tension headache patients (TH; n = 12), and a third group of female migraine patients (M; n = 33). The M group was subdivided on the basis of source of referral and into groups of classic versus common migraine. Elevation of the MMPI subscales usually interpreted as neuroticism scales were found in all groups. A "psychosomatic V" pattern was found on these scales in the M group but not in female TH patients. The difference in scale configuration between groups was caused primarily by different elevations on the depression scale. A relationship between severity of headache and elevation of the "psychosomatic V" was found in migraine patients. Male MP and TH patients showed a descending slope on the neuroticism scales, not observed in females. There was a tendency for common migraine patients to show a more elevated and psychosomatic configuration on the MMPI, as compared with classic migraine patients.

SUMMARY MMPI performances were investigated in the following 8 groups of patients. Three groups with seizures of known etiology (major motor, psychomotor and mixed major motor and psychomotor) were matched on age, education and diagnostic classification, and were compared with three similar groups of seizure patients in whom etiology was unknown, and with a control group and a group of brain damaged patients without epilepsy. Intergroup comparisons of mean T scores on 3 validity scales and 8 clinical scales of the MMPI yielded no significant differences. An analysis of the percentage of Ss in each group obtaining their highest score on a given clinical scale showed elevations to occur more frequently on D (Depression) than on any other scale. Intergroup comparisons on percent of Ss with MMPI T scores > 70 on each scale and on a combined‐ index of MMPI disturbance yielded a number of significant differences. The highest percent of T scores > 70 across the 8 clinical scales occurred in the non‐neurological control group, and the lowest percentage was found in subjects with major motor epilepsy of unknown etiology. The two groups of subjects with mixed seizures were second only to the non‐neurological control group with respect to percent of subjects with significantly elevated MMPI scores. RÉSUMÉ On a étudié les résultats obtenus au MMPI par les 8 groupes suivants de malades. On a apparié selon l'âge, l'éducation et le diagnostic 3 groupes dont les crises avaient une étiologie connue (crises motrices majeures, psycho‐motrices, et motrices majeures et psycho‐motrices associées) et on les a comparés avec 3 groupes similaires de malades épileptiques dont les crises n'avaient pas d'étiologie connue, avec un groupe contrôle et un groupe de malades ayant une lésion au cerveau mais ne présentant pas d'épilep‐sie. Les comparaisons intergroupes des notes T moyennes obtenues aux 3 échelles de validité et aux 8 échelles cliniques du MMPI ne présentaient aucune différence significative. Si on analysait les pourcentages de S dans les groupes qui obtenaient leur note la plus élevée à une échelle donnée, on observait une augmentation plus fréquente à l'échelle D (dépression) qu'aux autres échelles. Les comparaisons intergroupes portant sur le pourcentage de S qui avaient les notes T du MMPI > 70 à chaque échelle et à l'index combiné de perturbation du MMPI montraient de nombreuses différences significatives. Le pourcentage le plus élevé des notes T >70 parmi les 8 échelles cliniques se trouvait dans le groupe contrôle non neurologique et le pourcentage le plus faible concernait les S ayant une épilepsie motrice majeure d'étiologie inconnue. Les 2 groupes de S ayant des crises mixtes se rangeaient immédiatement après le groupe contrôle non neurologique quant au pourcentage de S ayant des notes au MMPI significativement élevées.

SUMMARY Comparisons on an extensive battery of psychological tests were made in the following eight groups of patients. Three groups with seizures of known etiology (major motor, psychomotor, and mixed major motor and psychomotor) were matched on age, education, and diagnostic classification and were compared with three similar groups of seizure patients in whom etiology was unknown, and with a control group and a group of brain damaged patients without epilepsy. Using intergroup differences on the Halstead Impairment Index as a summary measure of performance level, the results indicated that all groups except the group with psychomotor epilepsy of unknown etiology demonstrated significant impairment in comparison to control subjects. No differences were found between the test performances of controls and subjects with psychomotor epilepsy of unknown etiology. Patients with psychomotor epilepsy of unknown etiology performed at significantly better levels than did patients with major motor seizures of unknown etiology. The groups with psychomotor seizures of known etiology achieved higher mean scores on each test variable than did the group with major seizures of known etiology, although the differences were not nearly as clear as in the comparisons involving psychomotor and major motor seizures of unknown etiology. RÉSUMÉ On a appliqué une large batterie de tests psychologiques à huit groupes de malades et on a comparé leurs résultats. Trois groupes ayant des crises d'étiologie connue (crises majeures motrices, crises psycho‐motrices et crises majeures motrices associées à des crises psycho‐motrices) ont été appariés selon l'âge, l'éducation et le diagnostic. On a comparé leurs résultats aux tests d'abord avec ceux de trois groupes similaires de malades épileptiques dont les crises étaient d'étiologie inconnue, ensuite avec ceux d'un groupe contrôle et enfin avec ceux d'un groupe de malades organiques sans épilepsie. D'après l'index de Halstead, les résultats montrent que tous les groupes, excepté le groupe ayant une épilepsie psycho‐motrice d'étiologie inconnue, obtiennent des résultats significativement inférieurs à ceux des sujets du groupe contrôle. Il n'y a pas de différence entre les résultats aux tests obtenus par les sujets du groupe contrôle et par les sujets ayant une épilepsie psycho‐motrice d'étiologie inconnue. Ces derniers obtiennent des notes d'un niveau plus élévé que celles des malades ayant des crises majeures motrices d'étiologie inconnue. A chaque test, le score moyen obtenu par les groupes ayant des crises psycho‐motrices d'étiologie connue est plus élevé que le score moyen obtenu par le groupe ayant des crises majeures motrices d'étiologie connue. Mais les différences ne sont pas aussi nettes que lorsqu'on compare les résultats des sujets ayant des crises psycho‐motrices d'étiologie inconnue et ceux ayant des crises majeures motrices d'étiologie inconnue.

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Migraine has been associated with specific personality traits. Typically, migraine patients show elevation on the "neurotic scales" on the MMPI, and the profiles usually reported can be classified as "psychosomatic". A crucial matter is whether certain personality traits predispose to headache problems or whether they are an effect of such problems. To elucidate this problem, common and classic migraine patients (n = 13) were evaluated with the MMPI before and 2 years after biofeedback treatment. Two subgroups were identified on the basis of degree of clinical improvement. The least improved patients were significantly older and had a significantly longer headache history than the patients showing most improvement. No relationships between age, headache history, and improvement were found within subgroups. Clinical improvement was correlated with significant "normalization" of the MMPI profiles. Thus, personality traits as measured by the MMPI seem to be secondary to headache problems and not a predisposing cause.