Does personality or psychopathology predict disability in chronic pain patients?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of personality characteristics, depression and personality disorders in predicting disability status in pain patients one year later. Method: Subjects were 250 volunteer chronic pain patients. The baseline evaluation consisted of the Karolinska Scales of Personality and psychiatric evaluation of depression and personality disorders using standardized diagnostic instruments. Disability status was assessed by insurance record review one year after the evaluation. Results: The results suggest that baseline personality traits and psychopathology (i.e. depression or personality disorders) were not useful predictors of disability status in pain patients with one-year follow-up. Conclusions: These data suggest that personality characteristics and psychopathology are probably not important disability predictors in chronic pain patients.