Abstract

The MMPI and somatic symptom checklist were administered to 69 chronic pian patients who came to Kang-Nam pain clinic. Seeded multivariate clustering analysed the MMPI profiles into four homogeneous subgroups. There were subgroup differences in terms of somatic complaints and type of pain. Subgroup 1, characterized by significantly elevated clinical scale 1, 2, 3, and subgroup 3, characterized by elevated scale 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 complainted more somatic symptoms than subgroup 2, characterized by 'conversion V' profile, and subgroup 4, which show normal profile. Back pain patients belonged mostly under subgroup 2 and 4, headache patients mainly subgroup 1 and 4, and patients who complainted both back pain and headache mostly subgroup 1 and 3. Analysis of covariance procedure with control group was performed to identify personality differences among different pain type patients. It seemed that chronic patients with both pain and multiple somatic symptoms has personality problem, especially in interpersonal relationships.