RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Several studies highlighted the presence of anxiety, depression and anger in headache patients, however the results are not always consistent. The aim of this work was to explore the link between the different components of anger, the level of depression, trait and state anxiety, and the diagnostic parameters such as frequency and duration of the headache attacks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients referred to the Headache center of Messina University Hospital G. Martino, aged between 16 and 70 years (M=40.60; DS=14.64) were evaluated with the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS: Findings showed a significant positive relation between anger expression-in and the duration of the attacks (r=.488; p<.021) and between the level of depression and the frequency of the attacks (r=.323; p<.045). CONCLUSION: It is possible to suppose that targeted psychological and psychiatric treatments might directly affect on the symptomatology, improving the quality of life of patients.
