Psychological factors in temporomandibular joint dysfunction: depression.

Abstract

This study was to clarify the relationship between anxiety and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) in a group of patients with TMJD (N = 105) and a matched control group (N = 90) using measures of depression, relevant physical parameters and a number of other psychological variables. Patients were divided into high and low depression groups using the Zung self-rating depression scale and compared using measures obtained from the Goss-Gerke Inventory on Dental and Psychological Factors. Statistical comparison revealed no significant differences between depression groups in physical parameters. The TMJD groups were generally more depressed than the control group. The highly depressed TMJD group had a greater degree of abnormal illness behaviour and generally were similar to those patients identified in other studies as being refractory to treatment.