We aimed to examine the influence of psychological factors on the adaptation to fibromyalgia (FM). Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome of uncertain origin, characterized by widespread pain and abnormal tenderness, associated with body stiffness, fatigue, poor quality sleep, headache, cognitive disturbance. We examined the relationship between personality traits, illness acceptance, strategy of coping with pain, social support and adaptation to fibromyalgia.

Thirty FM patients (28 women and 2 men) completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), The Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ), Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire- Revised (FIQ-R).

Regression analysis results indicated that the adaptation to fibromyalgia is differentially associated with personality traits and the subjective level of pain. Especially Extroversion and Agreeableness are significant predictors of the assessment of fibromyalgia impact on everyday life. Neuroticism contributes significantly to vigilance to pain. The strategies to cope with pain correlate with such personality traits like Agreeableness and Openness to experience. The level of illness acceptance highly depends on the subjective intense of pain.

Psychological factors might be involved in triggering, maintaining, exacerbation of the fibromyalgia process and they may influence the adaptation to this illness. Particularly the personality of the patient appeared to play the significant role in this process.