The psychological assessment of patients with chronic pain

This article reviews the objectives of psychological evaluations, as well as the standard pain center evaluation protocol that uses a pain questionnaire, a structured clinical interview, and pain assessment measures that include pain intensity rating scales and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. The most frequently used measures of psychological status, such as the Beck Depression Inventory and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), are reviewed. Psychological predictors of invasive procedures and of disability are also outlined. The importance of listening to the patient in a multidisciplinary setting is emphasized.