MMPI PROFILES OF MALE AND FEMALE MIGRAINE SUFFERERS

Among a sample of 40 severe migraine sufferers, males and females disp layed common personality profiles. Both sexes exhibit heightened score s on those MMPI clinical scales associated with neuroticism (hypochond riasis, depression and hysteria). Female migraine sufferers were furth er characterised by elevated scores on the primary scales constituting the psychotic tetrad (paranoia, psychaesthenia, schizophrenia, and hy pomania). Migraine females appeared to differ from male patients with respect to a dimension associated with sex-role conformity (loaded on the L-scale and masculinity-femininity). The implication of these resu lts are considered.