Fig. (1) Proposed model of fibromyalgia linking emotional
distress, life events and physical responses. Personality is seen as
one of a number of modulators or “filters” of psychological
responses that might link to the clinical features of fibromyalgia.
Arrows on the left indicate the modulating effect of psychological
distress on down-stream responses and arrows on the right indicate
“feed-back” effects on distress.