MMPI profiles in migraine before and after biofeedback treatment. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

Migraine has been associated with specific personality traits. Typically, migraine patients show elevation on the "neurotic scales" on the MMPI, and the profiles usually reported can be classified as "psychosomatic". A crucial matter is whether certain personality traits predispose to headache problems or whether they are an effect of such problems. To elucidate this problem, common and classic migraine patients (n = 13) were evaluated with the MMPI before and 2 years after biofeedback treatment. Two subgroups were identified on the basis of degree of clinical improvement. The least improved patients were significantly older and had a significantly longer headache history than the patients showing most improvement. No relationships between age, headache history, and improvement were found within subgroups. Clinical improvement was correlated with significant "normalization" of the MMPI profiles. Thus, personality traits as measured by the MMPI seem to be secondary to headache problems and not a predisposing cause.