CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN AND NEUROTIC BEHAVIOR

Eighty-one women with chronic pelvic pain caused by a gynaecological abnormality (group 1) were compared with 81 women with chronic pelvic pain without an organic cause (group II). A control group of 46 pain-free women was included (group III). The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that patients with unknown pelvic pain would have more neurotic problems than patients with an organic cause for their pain. All patients were tested on the Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory (MMPI). Women from group I and group II did not differ significantly on the neurotic triad of the MMPI. There was, however, a significant difference between group I and group III and between group II and group III on the MMPI scores. From the results it can be concluded that chronic pelvic pain can lead to neurotic behavior and that scores on the MMPI cannot differentiate between patients with or without organic chronic pelvic pain. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.