The association between pain-related factors and psychological distress in patients with temporomandibular disorder

Figures & data

Figure 1. Hypothesis of factors involved in psychological distress in painful conditions like TMD.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics for psychological distress and pain-related factors.

Variables	M	SD
HADS-T (0–42)	13.54	8.00
HADS-A (0–21)	7.30	4.50
HADS-D (0–21)	6.16	4.33
Catastrophizing (0–6)	3.64	1.40
Pain duration (years)	12.39	9.98
Pain intensity, Total (1–10)	5.57	1.73
Categorical variables	n	%
HADS-A caseness^a	53	39.9
HADS-D caseness^a	38	28.6
HADS-T caseness^b	26	19.7
Causal attribution for TMD symptoms
No opinion	16	13.1
Psychological factors	5	4.1
Physical factors	92	75.4
Combination of psychological/physical	9	7.4
Confidence in attribution
Some uncertainty	62	50.8
No expressed uncertainty	60	49.2

HADS-T = Total score on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS-A = HADS Anxiety subscale; HADS-D = HADS Depression subscale

^aThe number of participants scoring above the cut-off score of ≥ 8 on the subscale

^bThe number of participants scoring above the cut-off score of ≥ 8 on both subscales

Table 2. Pairwise correlations (Pearson’s r) between all continuous variables included in the study (n = 112–133).

Variables	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.
1. HADS-T	–
2. HADS-A	.88**	–
3. HADS-D	.88**	.57**	–
4. Catastrophizing	.33**	.31**	.32**	–
5. Pain intensity	.22*	.18*	.21*	.38**	–
6. Pain duration	−.01	−.06	−.12	−.07	.06	–
7. Age	.05	.04	.07	.02	.13	.31**	–

HADS-T = Total score on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS-A = HADS Anxiety subscale; HADS-D = HADS Depression subscale

* p < .05. ** px < .01.

Table 3. Regression coefficients for associations between pain-related factors and psychological distress.

	Unadjusted				Adjusted
		95% CI of B				95% CI of B
Variable	B (SE)	LL	UL	β	B (SE)	LL	UL	β
Sex	−0.95 (1.68)	−4.29	2.38	−.05	−0.32 (1.65)	−3.59	2.94	−.02
Age	.03 (0.05)	−0.08	0.13	.04	0.03 (0.06)	−0.08	0.14	.05
Catastrophizing	1.88*** (0.47)	0.94	2.82	.33	1.62** (0.52)	0.58	2.65	.28
Pain intensity	0.99* (0.40)	0.19	1.79	.21	0.51 (0.44)	−0.36	1.37	.11
Pain duration	−0.10 (0.10)	−0.29	0.10	−.12	−0.09 (0.09)	−0.28	0.11	−.10
Pain duration^2	0.00 (0.01)	−0.01	0.02	.04	0.00 (0.01)	−0.01	0.01	.02
Confidence	−0.48 (1.43)	−3.31	2.34	−03	−0.15 (1.42)	−2.96	2.66	−.01

Sex coded 0 = women and 1 = men; Confidence coded 0 = uncertain and 1 = certain. CI = confidence interval; LL = lower limit; UL = upper limit

* p < .05. ** p < .01. *** p < .001

Data availability statement

Extended data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Ella Aase Anker; Ella.aase.anker@helse-bergen, upon reasonable request.