Memories of parental rearing and perceived self-image in groups of chronic pain patients.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between perceived parental rearing styles as determining factors of self-image in chronic pain patients, and to test the hypothesis of two different groups inherent to the pain sample.

METHODS

In this study, 152 patients with chronic pain participated. The sample was divided into two groups by means of hierarchical cluster analysis on the Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory, version 2. Cluster 1 comprised 116 individuals (44 men and 72 women) with a "conversion V" MMPI-2 profile, and cluster 2 comprised 21 individuals (5 men and 16 women) with a "general elevated" MMPI-2 profile. The patients were investigated by means of the structural analysis of social behavior (SASB), the Giessen test (GT), the locus of control scale (LOC) and the EMBU questionnaire (My memories of parental upbringing).

RESULTS

The results show significant associations between memories of parental rearing and self-image as adults and are in line with results from previous studies describing two psychologically different groups inherent to chronic pain patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant differences between healthy controls, pain patients and between clusters of pain patients on parental rearing scales, and the significant relationship between memories of parental rearing and self-image provide therapists with a special approach to the treatment of chronic pain patients in accordance to social cognitive theories and the psychodynamic theoretical construct of introjection as an early process in the development of self-images.