The Correlation of SCL-90-R Anxiety, Depression, Somatization Subscale Scores with Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the correlation of the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) anxiety, depression, and somatization subscale scores with chronic low back pain (LBP). MATERIAL and METHODS: Seventy-five patients who were admitted with the complaint of chronic LBP (patient group) and 75 healthy persons (control group) were evaluated. SCL-90-R anxiety, depression, and somatization subscale scores of patients having chronic LBP and healthy persons were measured. The mean values were paired and using two tailed t test they were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: The difference between SCL-90-R anxiety subscale subscores of patients having chronic LBP and healthy persons was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The difference between SCL-90-R depression subscale subscores of patients having chronic LBP and healthy persons was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The difference between SCL-90-R somatization subscale subscores of patients having chronic LBP and healthy persons was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: SCL-90-R somatization subscale subscores are higher in patients with low back pain. The treatment of low back pain can be more successful when combined with the treatment of somatization.