Personality Type in a Post-Injury Chronic Pain Population

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Issue Date
2008-03
Authors
Llewellyn, Madron
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Abstract
When working with clients experiencing chronic pain, counsellors need to have as wide a range of understanding as possible. Some clients experience chronic pain as a barrier to return to optimal functioning and quality of life. The question arises as to whether personality type may be a factor in experiencing chronic pain as a barrier. This study examined whether personality types occurred at a significant frequency in a post-injury chronic pain population. Personality was situated in the theory of Typology, as postulated by Jung, and measurement of personality type was made using the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator®. Results included higher prevalence of the Sensing function and the ISTP (Introverted Thinking with Extroverted Sensing) type in both men and women. In men, the Feeling and Perceiving preferences were significant, as were the ISFP (Introverted Feeling with Extraverted Sensing) and ISFJ (Introverted Sensing with Extraverted Feeling) types. For women the NT (Intuitive Thinking) pairing appeared to be protective of experiencing chronic pain.
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Keywords
chronic pain , personality types
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