Factors of Human Chronic Pain: An Analysis of Personality and Pain Reaction Variables

Abstract

Factor analysis of pain and personality test data obtained from 119 patients with chronic pain syndromes yields seven factors: four composed of personality measures, two involving different psychophysical pain measures, and one sex-related factor. The chief factors, comprising more than 50 percent of the total variance, are "interpersonal alienation and manipulativeness," "clinical pain intensity", and "pain endurance."