Personality Type and Chronic Pain: The Relationship between Personality Profile and Chronic Low Back Pain Using Eysenck’s Personality Inventory

Abstract

Background: Personality type plays a key role in how individuals respond to a variety of stimuli; however, it is unclear if there is a significant influence on pain perception. While pain is associated with many conditions, chronic low back pain (cLBP) is one of the most prevalent and debilitating problems in modern society. Treating this condition can be a challenge and clinicians must understand all factors that can influence pain perception. Purpose: The present study investigated the relationship between personality type and pain experience in patients experiencing cLBP. Methods: One hundred twenty-four participants completed the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), which identifies two major components of the human personality, neuroticism, and extraversion. Participants also completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). The association between pain and personality was determined with a Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient. A hierarchical cluster analysis with Ward’s clustering method examined for subgroups of individuals based on these variables. Results: The neuroticism score (EPI-N) was found to have a statistically significant relationship with all pain outcome measures. This suggests that people exhibiting a neurotic personality type are likely to have more fear of movement (p = 0.001), greater catastrophizing behavior (p < 0.001), higher self-reported levels of disability (p < 0.001), and higher overall reported levels of pain (p = 0.046) than those with other, more stable personality types. Three clusters were derived with varying levels of pain-related factors and personality. Conclusions: Personality type appears to have an influence on many of the attributes associated with cLBP and may be a useful determinate in both prognosis and interventions.

Framework for Personalized Chronic Pain Management: Harnessing AI and Personality Insights for Effective Care

“…In a 2022 parallel investigation by Hanney et al [24], 124 individuals underwent personality assessments using the Eysenck Personality Inventory, focusing on neuroticism and extraversion. They also completed questionnaires about their pain experiences, revealing a significant connection between neuroticism and adverse pain-related outcomes.…”

Personality and Pain Outcomes in Rheumatic Disease: The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility

“…Neuroticism is regarded as a general risk factor for psychopathology, defined by the proneness to react more intensely to stress [ 18 , 19 ]. In relation to chronic pain, neuroticism is associated with distorted pain perception, fear of movement and disability [ 20 ]. Conversely, emotional stability refers to the ability to remain calm in demanding situations, such as living with illness, demonstrating increased capacity to adapt [ 21 ].…”