Neuroticism Predicts Pain Catastrophizing in Professional Ballet Dancers: A Gender-Based Study

Abstract

Introduction: Perceptions of pain are influenced by individual characteristics, such as personality traits and gender. This study investigated, in professional male and female ballet dancers, the associations between pain catastrophizing and personality traits by calculating correlations and a regression model between scores of pain catastrophizing and extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. Methods: Eighty two professional Brazilian ballet dancers (59 women, 23 men; M = 26.8 years, SD = 8.1) completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and the Brazilian version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (B-PCS). Correlational analyses were conducted to assess associations between personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism) and pain catastrophizing. A linear regression model was developed to examine the predictive power of personality traits, using the Enter method. Analyses were stratified by gender. Results: In the total sample, neuroticism was significantly and positively correlated with pain catastrophizing, whereas extraversion and psychoticism showed no significant associations. Among male dancers, neuroticism was moderately correlated with pain catastrophizing; this relationship was not significant in females. The regression model identified neuroticism as the only significant predictor of pain catastrophizing, yielding the predictive equation: Neuroticism = 29.76 + (0.38 × PCS). Conclusion: Neuroticism is a key psychological factor associated with pain catastrophizing in professional ballet dancers, particularly among males. Contrary to prior findings, male dancers reported higher PCS scores than females, and their neuroticism levels more strongly predicted pain catastrophizing. Practical applications include the implementation of routine assessments to identify at-risk individuals, integration of cognitive-behavioral strategies to reduce maladaptive pain responses, and the development of gender-sensitive mental health interventions.