Life Events and Coping Style of Patients with Temporomandibular Disorder / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the characteristics of stress faced by and coping style of patients with tempormandibular disorder (TMD). Methods: Thirty patients with TMD and thirty normal controls participated in the study. All subjects were asked to answer the psychological rating questionnaires, including life events scale (LES) and trait coping style questionnaire (TCSQ). The muscle electricity were also measured when the subjects were exposed to an acute stress situation. Results: There were significant difference in LES, TCSQ and response to acute stress. Patients with TMD encountered more life events than normal controls. They also used more negative coping styles and less positive ones. The responses evoked by acute stress situation were more intense and lasted longer than normal controls. Conclusion: Stressful life events, coping style and responses evoked by acute stress may play a significant role in etiology of TMD.