Abstract text (incl. figure legends and references)

Question: Are pain intensity and psychological variables associated in patients with symptomatic temporomandibular joint disorders?

Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out with convenience sampling between February 1, 2022, and May 30, 2022, at the Universidad Europea de Canarias (Spain). Adults with TMJ pain with more than 12 weeks of evolution and who would not be undergone pharmacological or physiotherapeutic treatment were selected. An assessment of pain intensity (VAS) as well as anxiety (STAI), catastrophizing (PCS), perceived stress scale (PSS), and sleep quality (PSQI) was performed. Moreover, the statistical analysis was carried out using the Jamovi 2.3.12 software, performing the descriptive analysis, the Shapiro Wilks normality test (p<0.05), and the strength of correlational association through the calculation of the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (Pearson's r).

Results: We recruited 21 subjects (F:17; M:4) aged mean of 41.47 (SD=10.28) suffering from symtomatic TMJ dirsorder with a pain intensity of 4.84 (SD=1.70), anxiety 26.11 (SD=5.22), catastrophism 17.05 (SD=13.05), perceived stress 25.58 (SD= 8.60) and sleep quality 8.26 (SD=4.17). After checking the normality of the data, a weak linear correlation was found between the pain intensity and anxiety (Pearson's r = 0.141; r²=0.019; p=0.564), pain intensity and catastrophism (Pearson's r= 0.180,r²=0.032;p=0.462) and pain intensity and perceived stress (Pearson's r=0.358;r²=0.128;p=0.132). In contrast, moderate and negative strength of association between pain intensity and sleep quality was detected (Pearson's r= 0.403,r²=0.163;p=0.087).

Conclusions: Psychological variables were not associated with pain intensity among TMJ patients. However, sleep quality was the only variable that maintains a moderate linear association with pain intensity.