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Sun Q, Xiong N, Wang Y, Xia Z, Chen J, Yan C, Sun H. Shared and distinct aberrations in frontal-striatal system functional patterns among patients with irritable bowel syndrome and major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2024:S0165-0327(24)01053-X. [PMID: 38986877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Considering the high comorbidity, shared risk factors, and genetic pathways between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and major depressive disorder (MDD), we hypothesized that there would be both shared and disorder-specific alterations in brain function. METHODS A total of 39 IBS patients, 39 MDD patients, and 40 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and matched for sex, age, and educational level. All subjects underwent resting-state functional MRI. The clinical variables of anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal symptoms and alexithymia were recorded. The 12 subregions of the striatum were employed as seeds to assess their functional connectivity (FC) with every voxel throughout the whole brain. RESULTS Compared to HC, IBS and MDD patients exhibited aberrant frontal-striatal circuitry. We observed a common decrease in FC between the dorsal striatum and regions of the hippocampus, sensorimotor cortex, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) in both IBS and MDD patients. Patients with IBS exhibited disorder-specific decreases in FC within the striatum, along with reduced connectivity between the ventral striatum and sensorimotor cortex. In contrast, MDD patients showed disorder-specific hyperconnectivity in the medial PFC-limbic system. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that frontal-striatal FC values could serve as transdiagnostic markers of IBS and MDD. Within the IBS group, striatal connectivity was not only negatively associated with weekly abdominal pain days but also negatively correlated with the levels of anxiety and alexithymia. CONCLUSIONS This exploratory analysis indicated that patients with IBS and MDD exhibited both shared and disorder-specific frontal-striatal circuit impairments, potentially explaining both comorbidity and distinct phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqing Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Nana Xiong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.
| | - Yuwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiwei Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Chaogan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Hongqiang Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.
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Muzi S, Di Trani M, Renzi A, Pace CS. Can alexithymia be assessed through an interview in adolescents? The Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia: Reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and relationships with emotional-behavioral symptoms. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1055946. [PMID: 36741574 PMCID: PMC9889651 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1055946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Alexithymia is connected to adolescents' psychopathology, but the current methods of assessment present limitations. The Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) was developed to overcome the limits of the main used self-rating scale in adults, but no studies investigated its feasibility with adolescents. This study involved 95 community adolescents aged 12-19 years. Adolescents were assessed with the TSIA, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Verbal Comprehension Index of the WISC-IV for verbal skills, and the Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self Report for emotional-behavioral symptoms. The aims were to investigate the TSIA internal consistency, concurrent validity with the TAS-20, discriminant validity with participants' verbal skills, and relationships with emotional-behavioral symptoms. TSIA showed good internal consistency, concurrent validity with the TAS-20 (except for factor DDF), and independence by participants' verbal skills, but few relationships with emotional-behavioral symptoms. In conclusion, TSIA showed some good psychometric proprieties but little convergence with research findings obtained with the TAS-20, suggesting the need for further research to check the feasibility of using the TSIA with adolescents. Meanwhile, a precautionary multi-method assessment of alexithymia is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Muzi
- Department of Education Sciences, School of Social Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michela Di Trani
- Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Alessia Renzi
- Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Cecilia Serena Pace
- Department of Education Sciences, School of Social Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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3
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Bagby RM, Parker JDA, Taylor GJ. Twenty-five years with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. J Psychosom Res 2020; 131:109940. [PMID: 32007790 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.109940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Twenty-five years ago, this journal published two articles reporting the development and initial validation of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Since then the literature on alexithymia has burgeoned with the vast majority of this research using the TAS-20, including multiple language translations of the scale. METHOD In this article we review the psychometric literature evaluating various aspects of the reliability and validity of the TAS-20 and examine some of the controversies surrounding the scale and the construct it assesses. We reflect on the ways in which the TAS-20 has advanced the measurement of the construct and theory of alexithymia. We also discuss recent developments and some future directions for the measurement of alexithymia. RESULTS Although not without some controversy, the preponderance of the accumulated evidence over a 25-year period supports various aspects of the reliability and validity of the TAS-20, including findings from confirmatory factor analytic and convergent and discriminant validity studies which are consistent with Nemiah et al.'s (Nemiah et al., 1976 [3]) and Taylor and colleagues (Taylor et al., 1997 [9]) theoretical formulations and definition of the alexithymia construct. CONCLUSIONS Based on the accumulated empirical evidence of 25 years, we conclude that the TAS-20 is a reliable and valid instrument and accurately reflects and measures the construct as it was originally defined by Nemiah et al. Nemiah et al. (1976) [3] as composed of deficits in affect awareness and expression and pensée opératoire (operational thinking). Clinicians and researchers can use the TAS-20 to confidently measure alexithymia, the roots of which have foundations in psychosomatic medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Michael Bagby
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - James D A Parker
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Graeme J Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry (Emeritus), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Šago D, Babić G, Bajić Ž, Filipčić I. Panic Disorder as Unthinkable Emotions: Alexithymia in Panic Disorder, a Croatian Cross-Sectional Study. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:466. [PMID: 32581863 PMCID: PMC7282461 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Previous research on alexithymia has led to controversy over its prevalence in panic disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the difference in the prevalence of alexithymia in panic disorder and other anxiety disorders. DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study on a sample of 71 patients diagnosed with panic disorder and 113 patients diagnosed with other anxiety disorders; both groups were 18-50 years old. Primary outcome was the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) score. Secondary outcome was the prevalence of alexithymia defined as a TAS score ≥61. RESULTS Patients diagnosed with panic disorder had a 25% higher score on the TAS subscale of difficulty identifying feelings than patients diagnosed with other anxiety disorders. The prevalence of alexithymia was 27% in patients with panic disorder and 13% in patients with other anxiety disorders. Patients diagnosed with panic disorder had significantly higher odds for alexithymia. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study support the hypothesis of higher prevalence of alexithymia in individuals with panic disorder than in individuals with other anxiety disorders. In addition, difficulty identifying feelings as a salient feature of alexithymia is higher in panic disorder than in other anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Šago
- Day Hospital for Psychotic Disorder, Psychiatric Hospital Sveti Ivan, Zagreb, Croatia.,Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Goran Babić
- Independent Researcher, Zagreb, Croatia.,School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Žarko Bajić
- Day Hospital for Psychotic Disorder, Psychiatric Hospital Sveti Ivan, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Igor Filipčić
- Day Hospital for Psychotic Disorder, Psychiatric Hospital Sveti Ivan, Zagreb, Croatia.,Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.,School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
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5
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Developing a short version of the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia using item response theory. Psychiatry Res 2018; 266:218-227. [PMID: 29609989 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) was developed to provide a structured interview method for assessing alexithymia. One drawback of this instrument is the amount of time it takes to administer and score. The current study used item response theory (IRT) methods to analyze data from a large heterogeneous multi-language sample (N = 842) to investigate whether a subset of items could be selected to create a short version of the instrument. Samejima's (1969) graded response model was used to fit the item responses. Items providing maximum information were retained in the short model, resulting in the elimination of 12-items from the original 24-items. Despite the 50% reduction in the number of items, 65.22% of the information was retained. Further studies are needed to validate the short version. A short version of the TSIA is potentially of practical value to clinicians and researchers with time constraints.
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6
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Epifanio MS, Ingoglia S, Alfano P, Lo Coco G, La Grutta S. Type D Personality and Alexithymia: Common Characteristics of Two Different Constructs. Implications for Research and Clinical Practice. Front Psychol 2018; 9:106. [PMID: 29479327 PMCID: PMC5811501 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, particular attention has been paid to the role of personality specific traits that can affect the loss of health, i.e., Type D personality and Alexithymia. They have been conceptualized in a different period, this means that they are different both for their theoretical positions and their empirical studies. Some authors have speculated that there is a potential conceptual overlap between Type D personality and alexithymia constructs but there is a shortcoming in the literature. The aim of the study was to examine the potential overlap between the constructs of type D personality and alexithymia, replicating previous two studies, to extend these findings to Italian population. The participants were 247 Italian adults (males = 43%), recruited in primary health care practices of Palermo. All participants did not have chronic diseases during tests administration. They ranged in age from 35 to 69 years old (M = 52.34 years, SD = 9.76). Participants were administered Type D Personality Scale (DS-14) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). A series of confirmatory factor analyses was performed to evaluate the factorial structure underlying the TAS-20 and DS-14 items. Globally results showed that alexithymia and type D personality are distinct constructs, but they are also strictly positively related with each other. Negative affectivity (NA) was highly correlated with Difficulties in identifying feelings and Difficulties in describing feelings, while Social inhibition (SI) was highly correlated with Difficulties in describing feelings. These results are consistent with those of other studies conducted in this area. Future research should consider evaluating the relationship between a deficit of affect regulation and type D personality to improve the effectiveness of interventions of health cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria S. Epifanio
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sonia Ingoglia
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Pietro Alfano
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Lo Coco
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sabina La Grutta
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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7
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Keefer KV, Taylor GJ, Parker JDA, Bagby RM. Taxometric Analysis of the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia: Further Evidence That Alexithymia Is a Dimensional Construct. Assessment 2017; 26:364-374. [DOI: 10.1177/1073191117698220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Alexithymia is a clinically relevant personality construct characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, externally oriented thinking, and impoverished imaginal processes. Previous taxometric investigations provided evidence that alexithymia is best conceptualized as a continuous dimension rather than a discrete type, at least when assessed with the self-report 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The aim of the current study was to test the categorical versus dimensional structure of alexithymia using the recently developed Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia. Three nonredundant taxometric procedures (MAXCOV, MAMBAC, and L-Mode) were performed on the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia subscale scores from a multinational sample of 842 adults. All taxometric procedures produced unambiguously dimensional solutions, providing further evidence that the core alexithymia features are continuously distributed in the population. Discussion focuses on the theoretical, assessment, and clinical implications of these findings for the alexithymia construct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna V. Keefer
- Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Graeme J. Taylor
- Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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8
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De Berardis D, Fornaro M, Orsolini L, Valchera A, Carano A, Vellante F, Perna G, Serafini G, Gonda X, Pompili M, Martinotti G, Di Giannantonio M. Alexithymia and Suicide Risk in Psychiatric Disorders: A Mini-Review. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:148. [PMID: 28855878 PMCID: PMC5557776 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that alexithymic individuals may show significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological suffering than non-alexithymics. There is an increasing evidence that alexithymia may be considered a risk factor for suicide, even simply increasing the risk of development of depressive symptoms or per se. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative mini-review was to elucidate a possible relationship between alexithymia and suicide risk. The majority of reviewed studies pointed out a relationship between alexithymia and an increased suicide risk. In several studies, this relationship was mediated by depressive symptoms. In conclusion, the importance of alexithymia screening in everyday clinical practice and the evaluation of clinical correlates of alexithymic traits should be integral parts of all disease management programs and, especially, of suicide prevention plans and interventions. However, limitations of studies are discussed and must be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico De Berardis
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "G. Mazzini", ASL 4, Teramo, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, Chair of Psychiatry, Università degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio' Chieti - Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Michele Fornaro
- New York Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States.,Polyedra, Teramo, Italy
| | - Laura Orsolini
- Polyedra, Teramo, Italy.,School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom.,Villa S. Giuseppe Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
| | - Alessandro Valchera
- Polyedra, Teramo, Italy.,Villa S. Giuseppe Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
| | - Alessandro Carano
- Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "Madonna Del Soccorso", NHS, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
| | - Federica Vellante
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital "G. Mazzini", ASL 4, Teramo, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, Chair of Psychiatry, Università degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio' Chieti - Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Perna
- Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni, Albese con Cassano, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Gianluca Serafini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Xenia Gonda
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kutvolgyi Clinical Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Pharmacodynamics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinotti
- Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, Chair of Psychiatry, Università degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio' Chieti - Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Massimo Di Giannantonio
- Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, Chair of Psychiatry, Università degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio' Chieti - Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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9
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Rosenberg N, Rufer M, Lichev V, Ihme K, Grabe HJ, Kugel H, Kersting A, Suslow T. Observer-Rated Alexithymia and its Relationship with the Five-Factor-Model of Personality. Psychol Belg 2016; 56:118-134. [PMID: 30479433 PMCID: PMC5854197 DOI: 10.5334/pb.302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies examining the relationship between alexithymia and personality exclusively employed self-report measures of alexithymia. In the present study, we examined the relationship of both observer-rated and self-reported alexithymia with the Big Five personality dimensions. We administered the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) as an interview-based measure of alexithymia and, in addition, two self-report questionnaires, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ). Fifty-one university students were interviewed and completed the alexithymia scales and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. In contrast to TAS-20 and BVAQ, the Difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) scale of the TSIA was found to be unrelated to neuroticism, suggesting that the frequently reported association between DIF and neuroticism could be due to the use of self-report scales. In contrast, the affective dimension of alexithymia, measured by the BVAQ, was even negatively related with neuroticism. Thus, a paucity of fantasy and little emotional arousal goes together with increased emotional stability. Furthermore, we revealed negative correlations between interview-based alexithymia scores and openness to experience and agreeableness, which cross-validated the self-report findings. Finally, extraversion and conscientiousness each showed only one negative correlation, namely with subscales of the BVAQ. Taken together, our findings show that on the basis of interviews there is no evidence for a relation of DIF with neuroticism, while associations of alexithymia with low openness to experience and low agreeableness emerged irrespective of assessment approach. The relations of alexithymia with personality are discussed in the light of different measurement approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Rosenberg
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Rufer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir Lichev
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Klas Ihme
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans-Jörgen Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Harald Kugel
- Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Anette Kersting
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Suslow
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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10
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Ogłodek EA, Szota AM, Just MJ, Araszkiewicz A, Szromek AR. Sense of alexithymia in patients with anxiety disorders comorbid with recurrent urticaria. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2016; 12:995-1004. [PMID: 27143899 PMCID: PMC4844460 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s94600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Alexithymia is associated with limited cognitive processing of emotions by an individual suffering from recurrent urticaria and alexithymia and makes them focus on somatic manifestations of emotional arousal and on poorly controlled compulsive reactions to negative stimulation. Alexithymia is considered to be a personality trait, which, along with other factors, predisposes individuals toward developing somatic diseases. The aim of the study was to assess the measurement of alexithymic features in patients with recurrent urticaria and to assess the types of concurrent anxiety disorders and overall anxiety level. METHODS In order to diagnose clinical anxiety symptoms in patients, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale were applied. Alexithymic features were measured by means of a shortened version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, characterized by high discrimination power, internal coherence, and reliability. RESULTS According to the Toronto Alexithymia Scale results, the greatest contributing factor was "inability to differentiate between feelings and bodily sensations". This was observed in both males and females. Most frequently, the patients were found to suffer from generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia. CONCLUSION Alexithymia may result from the difficulty associated with expressing emotions caused by anxiety disorders. Undergoing treatment for anxiety disorders may contribute to reduced exacerbation of urticaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa A Ogłodek
- Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń Poland
| | - Anna M Szota
- Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń Poland
| | - Marek J Just
- Department of General and Endocrine Surgery, Municipal Hospital, Piekary Śląskie Poland
| | - Aleksander Araszkiewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń Poland
| | - Adam R Szromek
- Department of Organization and Management, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
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