Korean J Pain.  2018 Jan;31(1):16-26. 10.3344/kjp.2018.31.1.16.

Neuroticism and pain catastrophizing aggravate response to pain in healthy adults: an experimental study

• Banozic A
• Miljkovic
• Bras M
• Puljak L
• Kolcic I
• Hayward C
• Polasek O

• KMID: 2400904
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2018.31.1.16

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between neuroticism, pain catastrophizing, and experimentally induced pain threshold and pain tolerance in a healthy adult sample from two regions of the country of Croatia: the island of Korcula and city of Split.
METHODS
A total of 1,322 participants were enrolled from the Island of Korcula (n = 824) and the city of Split (n = 498). Participants completed a self-reported personality measure Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and pain catastrophizing questionnaire Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), followed by a mechanical pain pressure threshold and tolerance test. We have explored the mediating role of catastrophizing in the relationship between neuroticism and pain intensity.
RESULTS
The results showed that pain catastrophizing partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and pain intensity, suggesting the importance of pain catastrophizing in increasing vulnerability to pain. The results also indicated gender-related differences, marked by the higher pain threshold and tolerance in men.
CONCLUSIONS
This study adds to the understanding of the complex interplay between personality and pain, by providing a better understanding of such mechanisms in healthy adults.

Keyword

Catastrophization, Gender differences Human Trafficking; Neuroticism; Pain catastrophizing; Pain measurement; Pain threshold; Patient health questionnaire

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Catastrophization*
Croatia
Humans
Male
Negotiating
Pain Measurement
Pain Threshold

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Standardized regression coefficients for the relationship between neuroticism and pain threshold, mediated by pain catastrophizing, A (Korcula), B (Split). The standardized regression coefficient between neuroticism and pain threshold controlling for pain catastrophizing is in parentheses. *Denotes significance at the level of P < 0.05, while **Denote significance level of P < 0.001.

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