Personality Clusters and Pain Perception in Fibromyalgia - Personality Clusters and Their Relationship to Pain Perception in Fibromyalgia Patients

ABSTRACT Background: Fibromyalgia patients may exhibit distinct personality traits that could influence their symptoms. Understanding the relationship between personality characteristics and pain perception in fibromyalgia patients could be essential for effective management. Objective: This study aims to examine the personality characteristics of a sample of Italian fibromyalgia patients and explore the possibility of grouping them based on their personality traits and pain perception. Methods: The sample consisted of 34 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the ACR 2010 criteria. Participants underwent a clinical interview, completed questionnaires assessing pain perception (Brief Pain Inventory) and pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and filled out the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). Statistical analysis included correlation calculations and factor analysis. Results: Comparison with normative personality values indicated significant differences with higher negative affectivity, detachment, disinhibition, and lower antagonism in the fibromyalgia population. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between pain scores and certain personality traits. Pain scores were positively correlated with various personality traits including anhedonia, anxiousness, and depressivity. Pain intensity was correlated with pain functioning dimension and pain catastrophizing. Following a factor analysis, two distinct clusters were found: “pain cluster” (high correlation between the pain scores: PCS total, PCS helplessness, BPI functioning, PCS rumination, PCS magnification and BPI intensity) and “personality cluster” (high correlation between the personality domains: negative affect, disinhibition, psychoticism and detachment). Conclusions: Fibromyalgia patients demonstrate an association between multiple pain scores, forming a "pain cluster", and an association between certain personality domains, a “personality cluster” (negative affect, disinhibition, psychoticism and detachment). Moreover, they demonstrate associations between certain personality traits, pain perception, and pain catastrophizing. Further research should be conducted on a greater sample to disentangle the relationship between anxiety and depressive traits (anxiousness, anhedonia and depressivity) and pain in fibromyalgia. Understanding these factors could lead to personalized treatment approaches, ultimately improving the quality of life for individuals with fibromyalgia.