Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of P-A-I-N.

Rules to clarify MMPI profiles into four types (P-A-I-N) observed commonly in chronic pain patient populations were tested to determine if resulting average profiles matched computer-algorithm derived prototypes. Close matches were obtained, suggesting that the rules could be used in the ordinary pain clinic setting to look for type x treatment interactions. Seven clinical variables differentiated the types. Type P and N were most different from one another, and Types A and I represented poles on an optimism-pessimism dimension.