Relationships between low back pains and psychological factors among college students / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the low back pain of college students and psychological factors by using a questionnaire for low back pains and five psychological tests. The tests consisted of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Purpose in Life (PIL) test, Hassles Scale for students and Type A test. The subjects were 337 college students (126 male, 211 female) ranging in age from 19 to 22 (mean ± SD 20.2 ± 1.3) years. Seventy-four subjects whose lower back pain was thought to be caused by organic factors were excluded. The 263 subjects (102 males, 161 females, mean ± SD 20.1 ± 1.1 years) were divided into three groups (NP subjects with no pain, PND subjects with pain but no difficulties in daily life, PD subjects with pain and difficulties in daily life) by degrees of low back pain. The PD subjects showed a more negative attitude than those in the PND and/or NP groups for four tests, i.e., Hassles Scale and the psychosomatic component of the HSCL and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory tests. It was suggested that low back pain was related to psychological factors such as stress and anxiety.