Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Maladaptive Personality Traits in Chronic Pain Conditions: A Network Analysis Perspective

Background: There is a growing interest in clarifying factors involved in the emergence of different chronic pain (CP) conditions, especially referring to the role of personality factors. Accordingly, the current study aims at exploring implications of temperamental (sensory processing sensitivity) and maladaptive personality traits across different CP syndromes (i.e., chronic headache, vulvodynia, and fibromyalgia) in patients with comorbid conditions compared to healthy controls (HCs). Methods: The sample included 1144 women (chronic headache: 222; vulvodynia: 221; fibromyalgia: 201; comorbid CP conditions: 359; HC: 141). Participants completed an online self-report survey composed of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (i.e., Aesthetic Sensitivity, Low Sensory Threshold [LST], and Ease of Arousal [EOE]) and the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 Short Form (Negative Affectivity [NA], Detachment [DE], Antagonism, Disinhibition, and Psychoticism [PSY]). MANCOVA and distinct network analysis for each group were conducted. Results: CP conditions were characterized by higher levels of LST and EOE together with NA, DE, and PSY than HCs. NA, DE, and PSY were the central nodes of the personality traits network in CP conditions. DE and PSY were the most representative traits among patients with comorbid CP syndromes. Conclusions: Temperamental and maladaptive personality traits reflecting altered affective processing systems should be considered common factors involved in different CP syndromes. Dissociative/self-related processes and dysfunctions in interpersonal functioning should be systematically evaluated as possible core markers of a clinical group composed of patients with comorbid CP conditions, as well as relevant targets for psychotherapeutic interventions.