Psychological aspects of rheumatoid arthritis vis-à-vis osteoarthrosis.

Using objective techniques (M.M.P.I; M.H.P.A.; ANAM; S.T.A.I.), a transverse investigation of two groups of arthritic patients (35 rheumatoid arthritis and 30 oesteoarthrosis) was carried out. The Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients evidence greater depression (p less than 0.02), while the osteoarthrosis (OA) patients had higher levels of manifest aggressivity (p less than 0.01) and more somatic preoccupation (p less than 0.02). The RA group had a higher incidence of loss of a family member as a preceding life event (p less than 0.05), and a greater incidence of psychopathological problems in infancy (p less than 0.05). These findings were used to construct an interpretative hypothetical model which represents a starting point and a stimulus for future research.