Prediction of the Level of Response to Pain based on Fear of Death, Fear of Movement, and Personality Traits in the Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

Chronic pain is one of the important problems in medicine. The aim of this research was to predict the level of pain response based on fear of movement, fear of death and the role of personality traits (extraversion, openness to experience, and agreeability) in patients with chronic low back pain. This correlational descriptive analytical study was performed on 120 patients referring to the Neurology Clinic in Dezful city who were diagnosed with chronic low back pain according to diagnosis of a physician. In order to collect data, Illness Attitudes Scale (IAS), NEO Personality Inventory, fear of movement (TAMPA), and fear of death (TAMPLER) questionnaires, was used. Data analyses were carried out using statistical methods of Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression tests. In this study, there was a significant relationship between fear of movement, fear of death, and personality traits (extraversion, openness to experience, and agreeability) with response to pain (all variables were higher than 0.05). Regression equation showed that openness to experience with 37%, determined the predictive power more than other variables of response to pain. The findings of this study showed that fear of movement and fear of death are avoidance psychological factors and having unique personality traits, such as extraversion, openness to experience, and agreeability that are among the acceptance factors, are effective in response to pain and its tolerance.