Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
10:39
3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Anger and hostility in tension-type headache
J P Hatch1, L S Schoenfeld, N N Boutros
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7792.
Headache
|May 1, 1991
Summary
Episodic tension-type headache sufferers report higher anxiety, depression, and anger. Specifically, they exhibit greater suppressed anger compared to headache-free individuals, supporting psychosomatic theories.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neurology
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Tension-type headache (TTH) is a prevalent condition with complex etiology.
- Psychosomatic theories suggest emotional factors play a role in TTH development and maintenance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychological profiles of individuals with episodic tension-type headache (TTH).
- To compare emotional and anger expression patterns between TTH sufferers and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Standardized psychometric tests were administered to 47 episodic TTH patients and 47 headache-free controls.
- Assessment included measures of anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, expressed anger, and suppressed anger.
Main Results:
- TTH subjects exhibited significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and anger/hostility than controls.
- No significant difference was found in expressed anger.
- Headache sufferers demonstrated significantly greater levels of suppressed anger.
Conclusions:
- Objective data support the link between psychological distress, particularly suppressed anger, and episodic TTH.
- Findings align with psychosomatic models positing emotional factors in headache disorders.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Tension
Tension is a force along the length of a medium, in particular, a force carried by a flexible medium, such as a rope or cable. The word "tension" comes from Latin, meaning "to stretch". Not coincidentally, the flexible cords that carry muscle forces to other parts of the body are called tendons. Any flexible connector, such as a string, rope, chain, wire, or cable, can exert pull only parallel to its length; so, a force carried by a flexible connector is a tension with a direction parallel to...
01:10Tension
Tension is a force along the length of a medium, in particular, a force carried by a flexible medium, such as a rope or cable. The word "tension" comes from Latin, meaning "to stretch". Not coincidentally, the flexible cords that carry muscle forces to other parts of the body are called tendons. Any flexible connector, such as a string, rope, chain, wire, or cable, can exert pull only parallel to its length; so, a force carried by a flexible connector is a tension with a direction parallel to...
01:27Angina II: Classification
Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is a chest pain resulting from diminished blood flow to the heart muscle and is often a symptom of coronary artery disease. Angina presents several variants with distinctive attributes, etiologies, and therapeutic approaches. The main types of angina include stable, unstable, variant (Prinzmetal's), microvascular, intractable, and silent ischemia.Stable angina is caused by atherosclerosis, which leads to the formation of plaques that narrow the coronary...
01:20Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance
Frustration occurs when people are obstructed or prevented from achieving a desired goal or fulfilling a perceived need. For example, when someone's input is ignored in a discussion, it can lead to feelings of frustration. Conflict, however, arises from opposing interests, goals, or actions. Conflicts can take various forms based on the nature of these opposing desires or goals.
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable options,...
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable options,...
01:23Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II
Personality types, particularly Type A and Type B, significantly influence how individuals respond to stress. These personality distinctions are marked by varying levels of ambition, competitiveness, and coping styles, all of which shape an individual's resilience to stressors.
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as "workaholics," they...
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as "workaholics," they...
01:28Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles
Attachment theory, developed initially to explain infant–caregiver bonds, has been extended to illuminate patterns of intimacy in adult romantic relationships. Psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver proposed that the attachment styles observed in infancy form a framework for how individuals approach emotional closeness and conflict in adulthood. These attachment styles—secure, avoidant, and anxious—are linked to enduring patterns of behavior and emotional regulation in adult relationships.