Betydningen av personlighetstrekk ved langvarige hode- og ansiktssmerter

Abstract

Aim: Knowledge about personality can support the choice of treatment of chronic head and facial pain. The aim of this literature review, which to our knowledge is the first of its kind, is to investigate the significance of personality in chronic head and facial pain.   Method: Systematic search based on PRISMA guidelines in PsycInfo, MedLine, Embase and Web of Science databases. Results: 11 studies were included. The results indicated that there is a connection between specific personality traits and pain perception and pain behavior, where openness, neuroticism, and extroversion from the five-factor model (FFM) are most prominent. High openness was associated with lower pain perception, high neuroticism was associated with greater discomfort from pain and pain behavior, while high extroversion was associated with less discomfort from pain and pain behavior. Studies based on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) found fewer clear associations between chronic head and facial pain and personality. Conclusion: This literature review indicates that openness, neuroticism, and extroversion are related to pain perception and that standard personality tests find higher levels of correlation. A potential clinical implication is that tests that measure personality traits based on FFM, and particularly on NEO-PI-R, may have greater clinical value in planning and customizing treatment. Keywords: personality, headache, facial pain, chronic pain