Differences between functional versus organic low back pain patients

Abstract

The MMPI [Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory] scores of 42 back pain patients diagnosed as organic were compared with the scores of 37 patients classified as functional. The functional patients scored significantly higher than the organics on the Hs [hypochondriasis], Hy [hysteria], Pd [impulsivity], Sc [confusion], Ma [hypomania] and Si [social introversion] scales. The organics scored significantly higher than the functionals on the K [defensiveness] scale. Certain symptoms of emotional disturbance were more characteristic of patients who had relatively little evidence of physical findings. The degree of overlap between groups was high enough to suggest caution in making predictions and diagnoses about functional vs. organic pain on individual patients solely on the basis of personality data.