Personality patterns of headache sufferers

Abstract

One hundred and sixty-seven subjects (91 females and 76 males) aged 18 to 55 and suffering from recurrent headache, daily headache, and cluster headache, were studied. In order to collect detailed information about their clinical as well as social and environmental conditions, a multi-page card was used which had been specially prepared for this purpose. The patients’ personality patterns were assessed by the following methods: MMPI (the Hs, Hy, D, and Ma scales, in particular); EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire); and AS IPAT (Cattel's Anxiety Scale). The statistical analysis of the data obtained made it possible to define the personality patterns of both male and female subjects and then to differentiate between them in relation to the various types of headache. Furthermore, possible relationships between personality traits and headache suffering were investigated. If the personality patterns of females seem to have existed prior to the disease, those of males raise some questions. In cluster patients, in particular, the age of onset seems to be related to certain personality traits; in patients with daily headache, by contrast the association between the duration and severity of the disorder appears to play a major trigger role. Some of these correlations do not have a linear character and suggest new working hypotheses that go beyond the limits of standard correlations. Nous avons étudiés 167 sujets (91 femmes et 76 hommes) avec un âge variable entre 18 et 55 ans, atteints de céphalée par accès, céphalée chronique et céphalée à grappe. Les informations sur la situation clinique et sur l'environement des sujets traités, ont été recueillies à l'aide d'une fiche spéciale. On a étudié les profils de la personnalité des patients à travers les tests suivants: MMPI (en particulier les échelles Hs, Hy, D, et Ma), EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire), AS IPAT (Anxiety Scale Cattel's). L'analyse statistique des données obtenues a permis de determiner les profils de la personnalité soit des hommes que des femmes et ensuite de les differencier selon les différents types de céphalée. Nous avons étudié les corrélations entre le profil de la personnalité des patients et la maladie. Tandis que le profil de la personnalité des femmes semble préexister à la maladie, pour ceux des hommes nous n'avons pas pu obtenir des informations certaines. En particulier chez les patients avec “cluster headache” l'âge d'apparition semble être en relation avec certaines caractéristiques de la personnalité, tandis que chez les patients atteint de céphalée chronique, la durée et l'intensité de la maladie semblent avoir un rôle plus important. Certaines corrélations n'ont pas un cours linéaire et conseillent des nouvelles hypothèses de recherche qui vont au-delà des limites des corrélations standard. Sono stati studiati 167 soggetti (91 donne e 76 uomini) di età compresa tra 18 e 55 anni, affetti da cefalea accessuale, cefalea continua e cefalea a grappolo. Allo scopo di raccogliere informazioni dettaliate sia sulla situazione clinica che sulle condizioni socio-ambientali, é stata utilizzata una scheda di raccolta dei dati appositamente approntata. I profili di personalità dei pazienti sono stati studiati attraverso i sequenti tests: MMPI (in particolare le scale Hs, Hy, D, e Ma); EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire); AS IPAT (Anxiety Scale Cattel's). L'analisi statistica dei dati ottenuti ha consentito di delineare i profili di personalità sia degli uomini che delle donne e quindi di differenziarli a seconda delle diverse forme di cefalea. Inoltre sono state analizzate le possibili relazioni tra tratti di personalità e sofferenza propria della cefalea. Mentre i profili di personalità delle donne paiono preesistere alla malattia, quelli degli uomini pongono alcuni interrogativi. In particolare, nei pazienti con cefalea a grappolo l'età di inizio della cefalea sembra essere in relazione con certi tratti di personalità; nei pazienti con cefalea continua, al contrario, sembrano avere un ruolo più importante la durata e la severità della malattia. Alcune di queste correlazioni non hanno un andamento lineare e suggeriscono nuove ipotesi di lavoro che vanno oltre i limiti delle correlazioni standard.

Classic Migraine – Clinical Findings in 164 Patients

“…In order to record as accurately as possible the clin ical features of the subjects under investigation, we used a detailed data collection multi-page card, which in previous studies [12] had proved to be perfectly suitable for recording the presenting symptoms of mi graine. and in particular its timing until the moment of our first observation.…”

Do accompanying symptoms in women with migraine allow distinction between two separate patient groups?

“…This issue also relates to the problem whether an association exists between personality changes and migraine. While clinical investigations using the Minnesota multipolar personality inventory (MMPI) in migraine patients led to controversial results [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], epidemiologic and prospective studies [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] have confirmed this association. On the other hand, since behavioral and somatic symptoms are observed in patients with anxiety, mood and somatoform disorders [24], the assessment of their prevalence in a migraine patient population may be of help in evaluating the psychogenic component in these patients.…”

Psychologic Factors in Chronic Headache: Assessment by Means of the SCL-90-R Inventory

“…However, the nexus between personality traits, emotional factors, and chronic headache is still much debated, and diametrically opposite conclusions have partly been arrived at in different studies. Several investigations have been conducted in recent years in an attempt to further document and support early descriptions of mental structure and functioning in headache sufferers (1)(2)(3).…”