The relationship of personality variables and patient recruitment to pain coping strategies and psychological distress in tension headache patients.

The relationship of personality variables and patient recruitment to pain coping strategies and psychological distress was assessed in a Dutch sample of 111 chronic tension headache patients. Using the Coping Strategy Questionnaire (CSQ), high scores on the factor of helplessness proved to be associated with psychological distress. In particular, patients who manifested neuroticism and hostility as personality traits and who were referred for treatment by physicians achieved higher scores on the factor of helplessness. Patients who reported a lower level of pain intensity manifested a higher perceived control of pain. Patients who reported shorter daily pain periods indicated a lower level of active coping with pain. It is concluded that future research must be more attentive to the complex interactions between personality variables, environmental factors, and the coping demands posed by the nature of the pain problem.