Persistent pain is the most frequent complaint of patients, yet it is one of the most difficult symptoms to treat, because of complex nature. Psychological testing, especially using self administered forms, has become a more and more popular adjunct to diagnosis.
Twenty-eight chronic pain patients, 15 organic pain group and 13 functional pain group, have completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory(MMPI) and the results were as follows:
1) Mean MMPI t-score of Hypochondriasis was 62.0±12.0, that of Depression was 55.0± 11.4, and that of Hysteria was 61.8;12.6. And those of other scales were within normal range near to 50.
2) There was no significant difference between male and female groups on MMPI scales. 3) The MMPI t-score of functional group was significantly higher than that of organic group on Hypochondriasis scale.
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