Illness behaviour syndromes associated with intractable pain

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Abstract
Patients (100) referred for the management of intractable pain completed a 52-item Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). Responses were scored on 7 scales: general hypochondriasis, disease conviction, psychological vs. somatic perception of illness, affective inhibition, affective disturbance, denial and irritability. IBQ scale profiles were subjected to numerical analysis and 6 taxonomic clusters were identified. Patients in groups 1-3 were characterized by a relatively non-neurotic, reality-oriented attitude to illness, as indicated by low scores on the first 3 scales. Patients in groups 4-6 manifested greater evidence of abnormal illness behavior, and presented syndromes resembling hysteria, conversion reaction and hypochondriasis, respectively.

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