[Psychological profiles of chronic pain patients: exploring risk factors of illness behaviour through cluster...

When examining coping with chronic pain, it is important to consider not only the physical characteristics of pain but also its psychological and social aspects, such as depression or pain catastrophizing. The relationship between pain and the psychological characteristics of patients has been studied in various approaches in previous research. The aim of this study was to separate groups within a clinical sample using a profiling method and to identify risk factors related to illness behaviour.

The study involved 136 patients aged 18 and above diagnosed with chronic pain of various etiologies. Data collection involved the use of psychological questionnaires measuring levels of health literacy, social support, depressive symptoms, and pain catastrophizing, in addition to pain characteristics. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted using independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and K-means cluster analysis.

Three clusters significantly different from each other in terms of all grouping variables (p < 0.001 in each case) were identified within the studied sample. These clusters were named “Conscious Worriers” (1st), “Balanced Symptom Perceivers” (2nd), and “Abandoned Catastrophizers” (3rd). We successfully identified the 2nd cluster as a protected group and the 3rd cluster as a risk group.

Identified clusters can facilitate the application of group-specific pain therapies by describing the characteristic combinations of risk factors. Our results support the importance of pain education and prevention.