Personality traits in patients with acute low-back pain. A comparison with chronic low-back pain patients

This study investigates the possibilities to identify, within a group of acute low-back pain patients, individuals with psychogenic etiology to pain. 26 acute back pain patients and 25 healthy control subjects were tested with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Hysteria: (Hs), Hypochondria (Hy), Depression (D); Cesarek-Marke Personality Scale: Aggression (Agg), Defence of status (Dst), Guilt (Gui); Mood Adjective Check List: (Hedonism, Activity, Calmness = Hed, Act, Clm) and a 'pain questionnaire' including 'pain drawing'. Differences between groups and correlation patterns between test variables indicate that a combination of Hs, Hy, D, Dst, Gui, Hed, Act, Clm as well as predisposition to somatization, Som (a quantification of pain drawing) provides a useful predictive screening instrument.