Comparison of Emotional Abuse of Spouses and Perceived Social Support in patients with Chronic Tension Headaches and Migraines With the Healthies

Considering the role of psychological factors like psychological / social stress on etiology of chronic headaches, this study examined the relationship between «emotional spouse abuse, as a source of stress and perceived social support, as a source of dealing with stress», and «tension headaches and migraine» in patients. This is a case - control study that implemented by purposive sampling among patients referred to medical centers of neurology department in Isfahan who were affected by tension headache and migraine. 60 patients were selected and assessed through an emotional spouses abuse questionnaire and a social support scale. Questionnaires also completed by 60 healthy men and women who were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling and interview. Then means of scores between two groups were compared in running independent t-test. The results showed that patients with chronic tension headaches and migraine, had the higher scores in emotional abuse by their spouse and lower scores in perceived social support (P 0. 0005), as well as a significant difference on dimensions of emotional abuse and social support with the control group (P<0. 0005). The findings of this research, provide empirical evidence to support the relationship between life stress and migraine and chronic tension headaches. It may have a significant role to determine integral therapeutic strategies either neurologic or psychologic. Also, it may be helpful for prevention of chronic psychosomatic disorders.