Personality Traits and Subjective Health Complaints in Female TMD Patients and Healthy Controls

Background: Personality traits and general health complaints may influence the course of and treatment of chronic pain. However, only few studies compare more than one or two personality characteristics in chronic pain patients and healthy controls. This study compares the comprehensive non-pathological personality structure of female patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and pain-free controls. Moreover, this study controls for the influence of Neuroticism, self-presentation bias, and acute pain sensitivity on the subjective report of general health complaints. Methods: Twenty-five TMD patients were compared to 25 matched controls on personality traits (NEO Personality Inventory-Revised; NEO-PI-R), self-presentation bias (Social Desirability Scale; SDS), psychological distress (Symptom Checklist 90-Revised; SCL-90-R), and general somatic complaints. Experimental pain sensitivity was assessed by electrocutaneous and pressure pain stimulation. Results: Compared to the controls, Extraversion and Openness were lower in the TMD group, and the TMD patients exhibited higher levels of psychological and musculoskeletal complaints also when Neuroticism, self-presentation bias, and acute pain sensitivity were held constant. Conclusions: Low levels of Extraversion and Openness may dispose TMD patients to isolation and negative thought patterns. The elevated levels of psychological distress and general musculoskeletal pain in the TMD group add to previous reports of TMD as a complex condition also involving structures and processes outside of the orofacial region.