Journal of Behavioral Medicine

, Volume 27, Issue 2, pp 147–165 | Cite as

Personality Characteristics as Differential Variables of the Pain Experience

  • Carmen Ramírez-Maestre
  • Alicia Eva López Martínez
  • Rosa Esteve Zarazaga
Article

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationships between neuroticism, extroversion, age, and sex and the intensity of perceived pain and the coping strategies used. We worked with a sample of 96 patients with chronic pain. The assessment tools were the following: the Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory, a Spanish version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Eysenck Personality Inventory. The hypothetical model establishes positive relationships between neuroticism, the use of passive coping strategies, and the intensity of pain. On the other hand, extraversion is expected to be positively related to the use of active coping strategies and negatively related to the perceived intensity of pain. The results support the hypotheses formulated regarding the effects of the variables neuroticism and extraversion. Age is negatively related to active coping strategies and pain intensity. Men use more active strategies than women, while the latter have a greater perception of pain.

chronic pain personality coping strategies sex age 
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Copyright information

© Plenum Publishing Corporation 2004

Authors and Affiliations

  • Carmen Ramírez-Maestre
    • 1
  • Alicia Eva López Martínez
    • 1
  • Rosa Esteve Zarazaga
    • 1
  1. 1.Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológico, Faculty of PsychologyMalaga UniversityMálagaSpain

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