[The psychic structure of chronic pain patients]

Z Psychosom Med Psychother. 2010;56(1):34-46. doi: 10.13109/zptm.2010.56.1.34.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Objectives: The study investigates the psychic structure and psychiatric comorbidity of chronic pain patients according to Kernberg's concept of personality organization.

Methods: We assessed 48 chronic pain patients attending the Behavioural Medicine Pain Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry. Patients were diagnosed using the SCID (DSM-IV). Psychic structure was assessed using the Structured Interview of Personality Organization (STIPO).

Results: At least one psychiatric diagnosis was found in 94 % of the patients, and 63 % of the patients met the criteria of at least one diagnosis of a personality disorder. In 58 % of the patients, we diagnosed a borderline personality organization, with high deficits in the dimensions of coping, defence mechanisms and identity.

Conclusions: The high prevalence of borderline personality organization confirms the importance of a diagnostic investigation of the psychic structure and the necessity for psychotherapeutic treatment in chronic pain patients.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Behavior Therapy
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / epidemiology
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / psychology*
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / therapy
  • Chronic Disease
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interview, Psychological
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurotic Disorders / epidemiology
  • Neurotic Disorders / psychology*
  • Neurotic Disorders / therapy
  • Pain / epidemiology
  • Pain / psychology*
  • Pain Management
  • Personality Assessment
  • Psychoanalytic Therapy
  • Somatoform Disorders / epidemiology
  • Somatoform Disorders / psychology*
  • Somatoform Disorders / therapy