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Personality profile and depression in migraine: a meta-analysis

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Abstract

Background

Despite the clinical importance of psychological factors in migraine, the relationship between personality traits, depression, and migraine has been poorly investigated.

Objective

To delineate the personality profile distinctive for migraineurs and to explore the relationship between personality traits and depression in migraineurs compared to non-migraineurs.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed up to March 2019 using PsycInfo (PROQUEST), PubMed and Scopus. Sixteen primary studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis.

Results

The meta-analysis on the personality defined according to Psychobiological model revealed high Harm Avoidance (Hedges’g = 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01–0.60), Persistence (Hedges’g = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.01to − 0.72) and low self-directedness (Hedges’g = − 0.33; 95% CI = −0.57 to − 0.09) in migraineurs. The meta-analysis on the personality defined according to Three Factor Model revealed high neuroticism (Hedges’g = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.32–0.63) and low extraversion (Hedges’g = − 0.08; 95% CI = − 0.14 to − 0.03) in migraineurs. Meta-regression analysis revealed that neuroticism moderated the relationship between depression and migraine.

Conclusion

The findings evidenced that migraine is characterized by specific personality traits. Among them, neuroticism influenced the severity of depression in migraineurs, and, therefore, an early evaluation of the personality traits could allow identifying patients susceptible to develop migraine-associated psychopathological symptoms.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy

    Federica Garramone, Chiara Baiano, Alfonsina D’Iorio, Luigi Trojano & Gabriella Santangelo

  2. Headache Center, Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy

    Antonio Russo & Gioacchino Tedeschi

Authors
  1. Federica Garramone
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Correspondence to Gabriella Santangelo.

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Since the study was a meta-analysis based on already available data from published papers, ethical approval is not necessary.

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Garramone, F., Baiano, C., Russo, A. et al. Personality profile and depression in migraine: a meta-analysis. Neurol Sci 41, 543–554 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-04174-x

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