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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Psychopathology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1418644

Exploring the psychopathological profile of fibromyalgia: insights from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) and its association with disease impact

Provisionally accepted
Andrea Doreste Soler Andrea Doreste Soler 1*Jesus Pujol Jesus Pujol 2,3Eva Penelo Eva Penelo 1Victor Perez Victor Perez 3,4,5Laura Blanco Laura Blanco 2,3Gerard Martinez-Vilavella Gerard Martinez-Vilavella 2Helena Pardina Helena Pardina 6Fabiola Ojeda Fabiola Ojeda 2Jordi Monfort Jordi Monfort 2Joan Deus Joan Deus 1,2
  • 1 Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • 2 Hospital del Mar, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  • 3 Center for Biomedical Research in Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Madrid, Spain
  • 4 Mar Institute of Medical Research (IMIM), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  • 5 Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  • 6 Institut d'Investigacio Biomedica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex rheumatic disorder characterized by chronic nociplastic pain and central sensitization. Psychopathological conditions can influence FM symptoms, which worsen their condition. However, not all patients with FM have psychopathological disorders, indicating a heterogeneous population. Objective. To investigate the psychopathological profile and personality disorders in patients with FM and its relationship impact on this disease. Methods. An observational and cross-sectional comparative study was conducted with a sample of 90 women, mean age 48.7 years (SD=8.12), from Hospital del Mar, Barcelona. The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) were used for assessment. Results. FM patients predominantly exhibited psychopathological profiles resembling affective disorders (37.7%) and Cluster C personality disorders (58.8%). The severity of FM's impact was related to affective disorder symptoms, hypervigilance, derealization, somatization, and Cluster B personality disorder (emotional instability). Different rheumatic symptoms correlated with specific psychopathological patterns. Increased somatic symptoms on the FIQ were related to an unstable and dependent personality, while heightened emotional symptoms on the FIQ were associated with avoidance, borderline traits, and passive-aggressive reactions. Conclusions. Recognizing psychopathological aspects is crucial for managing FM. The PAI is a valuable tool for establishing its psychopathological multidimensional profile, which predominantly shows an affective spectrum conditions and comorbid Cluster C personality disorder, exacerbating the disease's impact.

    Keywords: Disease impact, Fibromyalgia, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Psychopathology, Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

    Received: 16 Apr 2024; Accepted: 27 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Doreste Soler, Pujol, Penelo, Perez, Blanco, Martinez-Vilavella, Pardina, Ojeda, Monfort and Deus. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Andrea Doreste Soler, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

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