NCT07280338

Emotional Intelligence and Chronic Orofacial Pain

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 88 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Brest · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Chronic pain, lasting more than three months, is a widespread health issue that negatively impacts daily life, leading to significant emotional distress and functional impairment. Emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to recognize and manage one's own emotions as well as those of others, has been linked to better communication skills and reduced stress, which is a well-known risk factor for chronic pain. Studies have highlighted a correlation between emotional intelligence and certain chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia and migraines. However, no research has yet explored its role in painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Given the strong involvement of psychosocial factors in TMD etiology, a better understanding of these elements could improve pain management and pave the way for preventive interventions.

Detailed description

This project aims to compare emotional intelligence and various psychosocial factors (anxiety, depression, coping, emotional regulation) between patients with painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and a control group without TMD or chronic pain. The study is based on the administration of validated French-language questionnaires during routine dental medicine consultations. Each participant completes these questionnaires in approximately 15 minutes, without any modification to their care. The data collected will help assess the relationships between orofacial pain and emotional factors to improve the understanding and management of affected patients.

Conditions

• Chronic Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Questionnaire and Physical Exam	All included subjects will be required to complete the following questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) Brief-COPE for coping assessment Emotion Reactivity Scale (ERS) for emotional regulation Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for fatigue assessment Sociodemographic and psychosocial evaluation Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Short Form (TEIQue-SF) for emotional intelligence assessment

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-01-01
• Primary completion: 2027-01-01
• Completion: 2027-01-01
• First posted: 2025-12-12
• Last updated: 2025-12-12