Psychologic Factors in Temporomandibular Disorders and Somatization: A Multidimensional Analysis of Personality, Coping, and Distress Among Young Adults.

Purpose: To analyze the association of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and somatic symptoms with the psychologic variables of personality, coping, and distress in young adults. Physical and psychologic correlates were also explored, along with the risk factors for TMDs/somatization.

Materials and methods: Participants were enlisted from a local university, and the presence of TMDs and somatic symptoms was determined with the Short-form Fonseca Anamnestic Index and Patient Health Questionnaire-15. The psychologic variables of personality, coping, and distress were assessed with the Big-Five Personality Inventory-10; brief-COPE Inventory; and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales-21, respectively. Statistical evaluations were performed with Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation, and logistic regression analyses (α = .05).

Results: Among the 455 participants (mean age: 22.7 ± 1.2 years), 18.2% and 5.7% had TMDs and medium-to-high somatization, respectively. Participants with TMDs exhibited substantially higher somatization and psychologic distress scores than those with no TMDs. Significant differences in TMDs, conscientiousness, extraversion, and psychologic distress scores were observed between participants with no-to-mild and medium-to-high somatization. The association between TMD and somatization scores was weak but significant. Neuroticism and dysfunctional coping style were moderately correlated to general distress, depression, anxiety, and stress (rs = 0.44 to 0.62).

Conclusions: Findings suggest that anxiety is the main risk factor for the presence of TMDs and medium-tohigh somatization in nonclinical young adults, while conscientiousness is a protective factor for somatization.