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Burghart M, Sahm AHJ, Schmidt S, Bulla J, Mier D. Understanding empathy deficits and emotion dysregulation in psychopathy: The mediating role of alexithymia. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301085. [PMID: 38718018 PMCID: PMC11078418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychopathy is a severe personality disorder marked by a wide range of emotional deficits, including a lack of empathy, emotion dysregulation, and alexithymia. Previous research has largely examined these emotional impairments in isolation, ignoring their influence on each other. Thus, we examined the concurrent interrelationship between emotional impairments in psychopathy, with a particular focus on the mediating role of alexithymia. Using path analyses with cross-sectional data from a community sample (N = 315) and a forensic sample (N = 50), our results yielded a statistically significant mediating effect of alexithymia on the relationship between psychopathy and empathy (community and forensic) and between psychopathy and emotion dysregulation (community). Moreover, replacing psychopathy with its three dimensions (i.e., meanness, disinhibition, and boldness) in the community sample revealed that boldness may function as an adaptive trait, with lower levels of alexithymia counteracting deficits in empathy and emotion dysregulation. Overall, our findings indicate that psychopathic individuals' limited understanding of their own emotions contributes to their lack of empathy and emotion dysregulation. This underscores the potential benefits of improving emotional awareness in the treatment of individuals with psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Burghart
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Alexander H. J. Sahm
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Sergej Schmidt
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jan Bulla
- Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Reichenau Psychiatric Center, Reichenau, Germany
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniela Mier
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Morie KP, Lord KA, Diefenbach GJ, Basuchoudhary O, Lewis S, Assaf M. Subscales of alexithymia show unique pathways through reappraisal and suppression to anxiety, depression and stress. J Affect Disord 2024; 347:445-452. [PMID: 38007105 PMCID: PMC10842914 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this work was to explore associations of constituent factors of alexithymia on mental health and potential mediating effects of emotion regulation strategies, specifically suppression and reappraisal. Data were collected through the crowd-sourcing platform Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTURK). Three hundred seventy-seven individuals completed questionnaires related to distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales [DASS]), emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire [ERQ]) and Alexithymia (Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire [BVAQ]). Three mediation models were constructed for depression, anxiety and stress, with BVAQ subscales (verbalizing, identifying, emotionalizing, fantasizing, and analyzing) as predictors and ERQ subscales (suppression and reappraisal) as mediators. Results indicated 37.3 % variance in depression, 25.2 % variance in anxiety, and 35.3 % variance in stress was explained by each model. Direct associations revealed emotionalizing and fantasizing were negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, while verbalizing was additionally associated with depression, identifying was additionally associated with anxiety, and all four BVAQ subscales were associated with stress. BVAQ subscales demonstrated negative associations with reappraisal and positive associations with suppression that mediated anxiety and depression. However, suppression did not mediate relationships between BVAQ subscales with stress. Findings support the importance of examining multiple factors of alexithymia and associations with emotion regulation strategies and distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen P Morie
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Kayla A Lord
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Anxiety Disorders Center, The Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - Gretchen J Diefenbach
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Anxiety Disorders Center, The Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - Oishani Basuchoudhary
- Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, The Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - Stephanie Lewis
- Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, The Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - Michal Assaf
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, The Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
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Lyvers M, Robinson M, Watt B, Thorberg FA. Alexithymia and aspects of dreaming: Differential associations of alexithymia facets with dream variables. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 59:132-142. [PMID: 37864284 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.12956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Research on aspects of dreaming associated with alexithymia has yielded mixed results. The present study recruited a young adult online sample of 577 participants who completed validated indices of alexithymia, emotion suppression, negative moods, and eight aspects of dreaming, with a focus on evaluating a counterintuitive previous finding that alexithymia and two of its core facets were associated with greater self-reported typical emotional intensity of dreams. Total alexithymia and facet scores showed differential relationships to aspects of dreaming including dream recall frequency, emotionality, meaningfulness, nightmare frequency, nightmare distress, usefulness of dreams in problem-solving and creativity, and learning about oneself through dreams. Planned hierarchical regression controlling for demographics, alcohol use, and dream recall frequency indicated that the difficulties identifying feelings (DIF) facet of alexithymia was a significant positive predictor of dream emotionality, whereas the externally oriented thinking (EOT) facet was a significant negative predictor. Stress, but not emotion suppression, mediated the positive relationship between DIF and dream emotionality. The likely role of dream emotionality in higher ratings of nightmare distress, dream meaningfulness, and learning about oneself through dreams among those with higher DIF scores is noted, along with other findings and the strengths and limitations of the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lyvers
- School of Psychology, Bond University, QLD, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Morgana Robinson
- School of Psychology, Bond University, QLD, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Bruce Watt
- School of Psychology, Bond University, QLD, Gold Coast, Australia
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Jurist E, Greenberg D, Pizziferro M, Alaluf R, Perez Sosa M. Virtue, well-being, and mentalized affectivity. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2023; 26:710. [PMID: 38189466 PMCID: PMC10849072 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2023.710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Virtue ethics, featuring the claim that virtue leads to wellbeing, has been imported by psychologists from philosophy. In the first part of the paper, we re-examine the source of virtue ethics in Aristotle's philosophy and question whether virtues can be the path to eudaimonistic well-being for us, given that contemporary society differs from ancient society in terms of a lack of consensus about virtues. We focus on the modulation of emotions as a good starting place for reconstruing virtue ethics, and we affirm a connection to well-being through the construct of "mentalized affectivity", which is a specific kind of emotion regulation. In the second half of this hybrid paper, we provide evidence for the link between mentalized affectivity and well-being, based upon an empirical study with an adult sample (N=558). Our study examined how the Mentalized Affectivity Scale (MAS) predicts subjective well-being compared to five commonly used and related measures: Difficulty with Emotion Regulation Scale; Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; Flexibility Regulation of Emotional Expression scale; Reflective Functioning Questionnaire; Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The most important finding is that the MAS and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale are most predictive of satisfaction with life. A second finding, less relevant for the present paper, is that the MAS (namely, its components of Identifying and Processing) strongly predicted psychopathology, including anxiety and mood disorders. This suggests that the MAS is a valuable tool for research on emotion regulation, well-being, and psychopathology, and that mentalized affectivity ought to be regarded as a promising construct for re-describing and specifying the contemporary relevance of virtue ethics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot Jurist
- The City College of New York, NY; The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, NY.
| | - David Greenberg
- Iterdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Department of Music, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge.
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Huo L, Qu D, Pei C, Wu W, Ning Y, Zhou Y, Zhang XY. Alexithymia in chronic schizophrenia and its mediating effect between cognitive deficits and negative symptoms. Schizophr Res 2023; 261:275-280. [PMID: 37866075 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although cognition is known to impact clinical symptoms of schizophrenia, few studies investigate the potential mediators of this relationship. This study aimed to examine the relationship between cognitive deficits and negative symptoms in schizophrenia, considering the mediating role of alexithymia as an important psychological variable. Moreover, the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia was investigated. METHODS A total of 689 patients with schizophrenia were recruited from two psychiatric hospitals. All patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). We used structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized mediated model. RESULTS In total, 31.5 % of patients with schizophrenia were classified as alexithymia. The path analyses showed that two factors of alexithymia (i.e., the difficulty in identifying feelings and difficulty in describing feelings), played a mediating role in the pathway from cognitive deficits to negative symptoms (all p < .001). LIMITATIONS Self-reported measurement for alexithymia may not be sufficiently reliable due to response bias. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrated a high occurrence of alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia. Moreover, the mediating role of alexithymia suggests that targeting emotion processing and cognition may be a feasible way to mitigate negative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Huo
- Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Diyang Qu
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenran Pei
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weibin Wu
- Foshan Mental Health Center, The Third People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Yuping Ning
- Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongjie Zhou
- Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen 5180005, China.
| | - Xiang Yang Zhang
- Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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Torunsky NT, Knauz S, Vilares I, Marcoulides KM, Koutstaal W. What is the relationship between alexithymia and experiential avoidance? A latent analysis using three alexithymia questionnaires. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2023; 214:112308. [PMID: 37637074 PMCID: PMC10455047 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2023.112308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Alexithymia is a clinically relevant personality trait characterized by poor emotional awareness and associated with several psychological and physical health concerns. Individuals with high alexithymia tend to engage in experiential avoidance and this may mediate psychological distress. However, little is known about what specific processes of experiential avoidance are involved, and the nature of the relation between alexithymia, experiential avoidance, and psychological distress remains unclear at a latent construct level. To examine this relationship at the latent construct level, a representative sample of 693 U.S. adults completed alexithymia (TAS-20, BVAQ, PAQ), general distress (DASS-21), multi-dimensional experiential avoidance (MEAQ), and general health (PROMIS-G-10) questionnaires. Structural equation modeling revealed that alexithymia significantly predicted experiential avoidance (β = 0.966, t = 82.383, p < .01), experiential avoidance significantly predicted general distress (β = 0.810, t = 2.017, p < .05), and experiential avoidance fully mediated the relationship between alexithymia and general distress (βindirect = -0.159, t = -0.398, p > .05). Correlations between alexithymia and experiential avoidance subfactors revealed a strong relationship to the repression and denial subfactor. Experiential avoidance is a promising target for clinical interventions, though longitudinal research is necessary to elucidate how the relationship between alexithymia and experiential avoidance unfolds over time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Knauz
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, USA
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Al-Shahrani HF, Hammad MA. Relationship between emotional divorce and alexithymia among married women in Saudi Arabia. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:217. [PMID: 37533120 PMCID: PMC10398916 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01236-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotional divorce occurs when a couple continues to live together due to necessity and coercion but they do not have a positive or constructive relationship, which negatively affects the stability of married life. Due to the low social acceptance of a formal divorce in the Saudi society, emotional divorce is common in several families. The rigidity of feelings and emotions within the family and the inability to express them may indicate the presence of alexithymia, which could result in the collapse of the family system and place the people involved at risk of mental health problems such as depression. Therefore, it is important to determine the prevalence of emotional divorce among married women in Saudi Arabia and to examine the relationship between emotional divorce and alexithymia. METHODS Data were collected from 305 married women in Saudi Arabia (Mage = 33.24 years; SDage = 4.87 years), using the Emotional Divorce Scale and the Alexithymia Scale. RESULTS Results revealed that 78.36% of the participants experienced moderate to severe levels of emotional divorce. Working women, those who had been married for more than ten years, and those with five or more children exhibited a higher incidence of emotional divorce as compared to their counterparts. A linear regression analysis indicated that alexithymia was significantly associated with emotional divorce in this sample. CONCLUSION These results suggest the need for examining the negative consequences of emotional divorce on the family and society. Additionally, it is important to educate young individuals of marriageable age about the nature of married life, and ways to deal with problems that occur. Finally, couples should be encouraged to express their positive and negative emotions with their spouse to build the marital relationship, and achieve compatibility and marital satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hend Faye Al-Shahrani
- Social Planning department, Faculty of Social Services, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Ahmed Hammad
- Faculty of Education, Najran University, Najran city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Assiut University, El Fateh, Egypt.
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Belhouk-Herrero MO, Molins F, Serrano MÁ. COVID-19 stressor reduces risk taking: the role of trait interoception. Cogn Process 2023; 24:353-360. [PMID: 36976387 PMCID: PMC10044126 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-023-01134-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The Framing Effect (FE) demonstrated that the way two alternatives are displayed affects people's inclination to make a specific choice, showing a risk aversion when alternatives are displayed on positive frames and risk seeking in negative frames. Risk seeking in negative frames is closely linked to loss aversion. Moreover, classical research and the salience-of-losses hypothesis argues that stress may enhance the FE and loss aversion. Recent studies also suggest that the trait interoception and alexithymia could interact and moderate the framing susceptibility. However, experimental paradigms on stress could ignore variables such as threat perception. In this sense, COVID-19 pandemic has become a powerful real-life stressor in many countries. We aimed to study how real-life stressors influence decision-making under risk. A total of 97 participants were divided into a control (n = 48) and an experimental group (n = 49). The experimental group were exposed to a stressor manipulation, a 5 min COVID-19 lockdown documentary. Our results show that COVID-19-related stressors significantly decreased bet acceptance regardless of the frame, also reducing loss aversion. Moreover, interoception was a significant predictor of loss aversion under stress conditions. Our results do not support classical research on stress and FE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Molins
- Department of Psychobiology, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
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Salles BM, Maturana de Souza W, Dos Santos VA, Mograbi DC. Effects of DBT-based interventions on alexithymia: a systematic review. Cogn Behav Ther 2023; 52:110-131. [PMID: 36426727 DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2022.2117734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
While dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) appears effective for some psychiatric conditions commonly associated with alexithymia, it is unclear whether DBT improves difficulties experienced by alexithymic individuals. This review investigated the current evidence on the effectiveness of DBT-based interventions in improving alexithymia. A qualitative synthesis of studies that investigated the efficacy of DBT on self-reported alexithymia was performed, identifying eligible studies using EBSCO/Essentials, Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and PsychINFO databases. Eight studies were identified. Overall, the results were inconclusive due to the heterogeneity of the studies but suggest that DBT-based interventions may be associated with self-reported decreases in alexithymia and increases in the ability to identify emotional states. The literature is limited by significant methodological problems, such as the low number of controlled trials, small samples, and high variability between DBT programs, which increases the risk of bias across study outcomes. More research is needed to reach conclusions regarding the effectiveness of DBT in improving alexithymia. Future studies should conduct randomized controlled trial designs (primarily with active treatment control conditions), greater standardization of DBT-based interventions, and a more in-depth examination of the level of participant involvement in long-term DBT-based interventions may help to understand whether DBT improves alexithymia difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno M Salles
- Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wayson Maturana de Souza
- Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Veruska Andrea Dos Santos
- Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daniel C Mograbi
- Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Olalde-Mathieu VE, Licea-Haquet G, Reyes-Aguilar A, Barrios FA. Psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire in a Mexican sample and their correlation with empathy and alexithymia. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2022.2053385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanna Licea-Haquet
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Azalea Reyes-Aguilar
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Fernando A. Barrios
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
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Young AC, Kyranides MN. Understanding Emotion Regulation and Humor Styles in Individuals with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Alexithymic Traits. THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 156:147-166. [PMID: 35015960 DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2021.2017831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alexithymia is a personality trait which is characterized by impairments in identifying and describing emotions. Both psychopathic and alexithymic personality traits have been associated with impairments in emotion processing. This study aims to clarify the conceptual overlap between psychopathic traits (focusing on callous-unemotional traits) and alexithymic traits, with emotion regulation strategies and humor styles using a community sample. A battery of self-report measures was distributed through an online platform to 538 male and female participants between the ages of 18 to 65. Hierarchal linear regression analyses demonstrated that emotion regulation strategies were the strongest predictors and accounted for the largest variance of callous-unemotional traits and alexithymic traits. More specifically, expressive suppression arose as a positive predictor while cognitive reappraisal arose as a negative predictor for both personality traits. Aggressive humor (maladaptive) arose as a positive predictor while self-defeating humor (maladaptive) and affiliative humor (adaptive) arose as negative predictors for callous-unemotional traits. In contrast, self-defeating humor arose as a positive predictor for alexithymic traits while affiliative humor and self-enhancing humor arose as negative predictors. Findings indicate that there are similarities and differences between these personality traits. The implications regarding tailoring interventions that target specific deficits associated with each personality trait are discussed.
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Cosmoiu A, Nedelcea C. Factors impacting the experience of empathic distress in social anxiety: a path analysis approach. The Journal of Social Psychology 2021; 162:57-70. [PMID: 34913406 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2021.2003284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Personal distress is a manifestation of empathy characterized by a tendency to respond to others' difficulties by increasing one's distress. Previous work on socially anxious individuals has shown mixed results, consistent with a model of social anxiety symptomatology characterized by increased personal distress in empathy eliciting situations, which is driven by emotional dysregulation. The current study aimed to test a serial mediation model to uncover the role of emotional dysregulation in the relationship between social anxiety and empathic distress. 330 young adults were included in the sample. Social anxiety symptomatology, difficulty identifying one's feelings, expressive suppression, and empathic distress were analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling. Measurement and structural models were supported by data, with social anxiety exhibiting direct and indirect effects on empathic distress. Results also suggest that expressive suppression exhibits a negative effect on the distress exhibited in empathy eliciting situations, which brings forth relevant theoretical and clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cosmoiu
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cătălin Nedelcea
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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13
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Schiewer V, Dietz T, Tavenrath S, Öztürk-Arenz H, Jäger RS, Klein A, Labouvie H, Kusch M. [Common foundation of alexithymia and expressive suppression]. PSYCHOTHERAPEUT 2021; 67:166-175. [PMID: 34720437 PMCID: PMC8549590 DOI: 10.1007/s00278-021-00546-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Hintergrund Internationale Studien konnten bereits einen Zusammenhang zwischen Alexithymie und expressiver Suppression belegen. Im deutschsprachigen Raum wurde dieser Zusammenhang bisher nur sehr selten betrachtet. Übergeordnetes Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Untersuchung eines korrelativen und faktoriellen Zusammenhangs von Alexithymie und expressiver Suppression. Material und Methoden Insgesamt 317 Personen nahmen einer Onlinebefragung teil. Mithilfe der deutschsprachigen Versionen der Toronto Alexithymia Scale-26 (TAS-26) und des Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) wurden Daten zu Alexithymie und expressiver Suppression erfasst. Ergebnisse Es bestanden signifikante Korrelationen zwischen der Subskala „Schwierigkeit bei der Identifikation von Gefühlen“ der TAS-26 und der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ (r = 0,5; p < 0,001) sowie zwischen der Subskala „Schwierigkeit bei der Beschreibung von Gefühlen“ der TAS-26 und der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ (r = 0,64; p < 0,001). Die Ergebnisse einer explorativen Faktorenanalyse ergaben eine Zwei-Faktoren-Lösung mit einem gemeinsamen Faktor für die TAS-26-Subskalen „Schwierigkeit bei der Identifikation von Gefühlen“ und „Schwierigkeit bei der Beschreibung von Gefühlen“ und der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ mit einer gemeinsamen Varianz von 38,2 % (χ2 = 363,843; p < 0,001; Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin[KMO]-Wert = 0,699). Schlussfolgerung Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass den Skalen der TAS-26 in den Komponenten „Schwierigkeit bei der Identifikation von Gefühlen“ und „Schwierigkeit bei der Beschreibung von Gefühlen“ sowie der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ in der Komponente der „expressiven Suppression“ ein gemeinsames Konstrukt zugrunde liegt, das mit dem Begriff der Sprachlosigkeit belegt werden kann.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Schiewer
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Thilo Dietz
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Sally Tavenrath
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Hülya Öztürk-Arenz
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Reinhold S Jäger
- Zentrum für Empirische Pädagogische Forschung, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Campus Landau, Landau, Deutschland
| | - Anne Klein
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Hildegard Labouvie
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Michael Kusch
- Psychoonkologische Versorgungsforschung, Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
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14
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The emotion regulation questionnaire: Factor structure and measurement invariance in an Italian sample of community dwelling adults. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00426-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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15
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Pitluk M, Elboim-Gabyzon M, Shuper Engelhard E. Validation of the grounding assessment tool for identifying emotional awareness and emotion regulation. ARTS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2021.101821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Parent-Infant Attachment Insecurity and Emotional Eating in Adolescence: Mediation through Emotion Suppression and Alexithymia. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13051662. [PMID: 34068872 PMCID: PMC8153636 DOI: 10.3390/nu13051662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotional eating (EE), the propensity to eat in response to emotions, is thought to have its origins in the early parent–infant relationship. This study tested the hypothesis that infant attachment insecurity results in EE in adolescence through the increased use of the emotion regulation strategy suppression of emotions and subsequent alexithymia. At the age of 15 months, parent–infant attachment security (n = 129) was observed with two abbreviated attachment measures: the shortened strange situation procedure (SSSP), and the shortened attachment Q-set (S-AQS). At the age of 12 years, children completed self-report questionnaires to assess the suppression of emotions, alexithymia, and EE. At the age of 16 years, EE was measured again. The mediation models indicated that lower parent–infant attachment security predicted increased use of suppression of emotions, which was related to increased alexithymia, and in turn more EE at the age of 12 years. These results were similar and significant for both attachment measures, and also (marginal) significant with EE at the age of 16 years as an outcome. Lastly, when parental caregiving quality was included, the models with the SSSP as predictor remained significant, but the models with the S-AQS became insignificant. These results indicated that to a certain extent, infant attachment security could predict adolescent EE above and beyond parental caregiving quality.
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17
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Luminet O, Nielson KA, Ridout N. Cognitive-emotional processing in alexithymia: an integrative review. Cogn Emot 2021; 35:449-487. [PMID: 33787442 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.1908231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Alexithymia is a multifaceted personality construct characterised by difficulties identifying one's feelings and distinguishing them from bodily sensations, difficulties describing one's feelings to others, and an externally oriented cognitive style. Over the past 25 years, a burgeoning body of research has examined how alexithymia moderates processing at the cognition-emotion interface. We review the findings in five domains: attention, appraisals, memory, language, and behaviours. The preponderance of studies linked alexithymia with deficits in emotion processing, which was apparent across all domains, except behaviours. All studies on behaviours and a proportion of studies in other domains demonstrated emotional over-responding. Analysis at the facet level revealed deficits in memory and language that are primarily associated with externally oriented thinking, while over-responding was most often linked to difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings. The review also found evidence for contextual modulation: The pattern of deficits and over-responding was not restricted to emotional contexts but also occurred in neutral contexts, and in some circumstances, emotional over-responding in alexithymia was beneficial. Taken together, this review highlights alexithymia as a central personality dimension in the interplay between cognition and emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Luminet
- Research Institute for Psychological Sciences, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.,Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), Belgium
| | - Kristy A Nielson
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Nathan Ridout
- Department of Psychology, School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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18
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Manzoor N, Molins F, Serrano MÁ. Interoception moderates the relation between alexithymia and risky-choices in a framing task: A proposal of two-stage model of decision-making. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 162:1-7. [PMID: 33482229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Decision-making depends on the context (frame) in which questions and alternatives are presented. Moreover, research has showed that the ability to detect bodily sensations (interoception) and being able to attribute these changes to emotions correctly (alexithymia) influence how we make decisions. The aim of the present research was to study how interoception and alexithymia might affect the Framing effect (FE), a cognitive bias closely related to emotional system. 42 healthy participants completed the Risky-choice Framing task and their interoception and alexithymia levels were measured. Results showed that the participants were more risk-taking under the negative frames in comparison to the positive ones. In addition, we found that alexithymia and interoception were negatively and positively correlated with the FE, respectively. Finally, the moderation analyses revealed that alexithymia predicted a lower FE only when the interoception was high. Based on previous literature and in our results, we propose a two-stage model of intuitive decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namra Manzoor
- Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Department of Psychobiology, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 13, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Molins
- Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Department of Psychobiology, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 13, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Serrano
- Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, Department of Psychobiology, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 13, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
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19
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Albantakis L, Brandi ML, Zillekens IC, Henco L, Weindel L, Thaler H, Schliephake L, Timmermans B, Schilbach L. Alexithymic and autistic traits: Relevance for comorbid depression and social phobia in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2020; 24:2046-2056. [PMID: 32662285 PMCID: PMC7543015 DOI: 10.1177/1362361320936024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Adults with autism often develop mental health problems such as depression and social phobia. The reasons for this are still unclear. Many studies found that alexithymia plays an important role in mental health problems like depression. People with alexithymia have difficulties identifying and describing their emotions. Almost every second person with autism has alexithymia. Therefore, we explored in this study whether alexithymia is linked to worse mental health in autistic people. We looked at two common diagnoses, depression and social phobia. We found that alexithymia increased symptoms of depression, while autistic traits increased symptoms of social phobia. Our results suggest that alexithymia and autistic traits can increase the risk of mental health problems. An early assessment could help prevent mental health problems and improve quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Albantakis
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Imme Christina Zillekens
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Lara Henco
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Muenich, Germany
| | | | - Hanna Thaler
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- LVR-Klinikum Duesseldorf/Kliniken der Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
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20
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Lischke A, Pahnke R, Mau-Moeller A, Jacksteit R, Weippert M. Sex-Specific Relationships Between Interoceptive Accuracy and Emotion Regulation. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:67. [PMID: 32655380 PMCID: PMC7324473 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last years, there has been a resurge in the interest to study the relationship between interoception and emotion. By now, it is well established that interoception contributes to the experience of emotions. However, it may also be possible that interoception contributes to the regulation of emotions. To test this possibility, we studied the relationship between interoception and emotion regulation in a sample of healthy individuals (n = 84). We used a similar heartbeat detection task and a similar self-report questionnaire for the assessment of interoceptive accuracy and emotion regulation as in previous studies. In contrast to previous studies, we differentiated between male and female individuals in our analyses and controlled our analyses for individual characteristics that may affect the relationship between interoceptive accuracy and emotion regulation. We found sex-differences in interoceptive accuracy and emotion regulation that amounted to a sex-specific relationship between interoceptive accuracy and emotion regulation: Whereas interoceptive accuracy was related to reappraisal but not to suppression in male individuals, interoceptive accuracy was unrelated to reappraisal and suppression in female individuals. These findings indicate that the relationship between interoception and emotion regulation is far more complex than has been suggested by previous findings. However, these findings nonetheless support the view that interoception is essential for both, the regulation and experience of emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lischke
- Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rike Pahnke
- Department of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anett Mau-Moeller
- Department of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,Department of Orthopaedics, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Robert Jacksteit
- Department of Orthopaedics, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Matthias Weippert
- Department of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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21
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Preece DA, Becerra R, Robinson K, Allan A, Boyes M, Chen W, Hasking P, Gross JJ. What is alexithymia? Using factor analysis to establish its latent structure and relationship with fantasizing and emotional reactivity. J Pers 2020; 88:1162-1176. [PMID: 32463926 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is ongoing uncertainty about the structure and definition of alexithymia. Conceptually, alexithymia has traditionally been defined as a multidimensional trait with four components: difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, externally orientated thinking, and difficulty fantasizing. However, some authors suggest that difficulty fantasizing might not be a component, and others suggest low emotional reactivity is a fifth component. In this study, we sought to clarify this issue using factor analysis. METHOD In a sample of adults (N = 508), we administered a comprehensive battery of psychometric measures and analyzed their latent structure using exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS Subscales assessing difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally orientated thinking all loaded well together on the alexithymia factor. However, none of the subscales assessing aspects of difficulty fantasizing (i.e., daydreaming frequency, vividness, content, or use of daydreams to regulate emotions) loaded on the alexithymia factor. Similarly, no emotional reactivity subscales loaded on the alexithymia factor, and alexithymia was associated with higher (not lower) levels of emotional reactivity for negative emotions. CONCLUSIONS Difficulty fantasizing and low emotional reactivity are not components of the latent alexithymia construct. The traditional four-component definition of alexithymia likely warrants refinement to a more parsimonious three-component solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Preece
- School of Psychology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Rodrigo Becerra
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ken Robinson
- School of Psychology, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Alfred Allan
- School of Psychology, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Mark Boyes
- School of Psychology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Wai Chen
- Graduate School of Education, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Mental Health Service, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | | | - James J Gross
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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22
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Tang W, Xu D, Xu J. The mediating role of alexithymia between earthquake exposure and psychopathology among adolescents 8.5 years after the wenchuan earthquake. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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23
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Morie KP, Zhai ZW, Potenza MN, Mayes LC. Alexithymia, Emotion-Regulation Strategies, and Traumatic Experiences in Prenatally Cocaine-Exposed Young Adults. Am J Addict 2020; 29:492-499. [PMID: 32436341 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Exposure to early-life trauma may lead to maladaptive characteristics such as alexithymia, and thus to poorer emotional regulation. This relationship may also be influenced by exposure to substances prenatally. We hypothesized that increased alexithymia would be seen in those with prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE). Additionally, we hypothesized that early-life trauma would be associated with alexithymia, and that alexithymia would be associated with poor emotional reappraisal and emotional suppression. METHODS A moderated mediation model was developed to examine whether the hypothesized indirect relationship between trauma and emotional reappraisal through alexithymia was different in young adults with and without PCE (Total N = 57). Thirty-seven young adults with PCE and 20 with no such exposure, all of whom were members of a longitudinal cohort, were recruited for the study, and data concerning childhood trauma, alexithymia, and emotional regulation were collected. Intercorrelations were performed between the scores on each measure and moderated mediation models were constructed separately with emotional neglect or emotional abuse as the independent variable and emotional reappraisal or emotional suppression as the dependent variable. RESULTS PCE status was associated with alexithymia, and alexithymia mediated the relationship between emotional neglect and emotional reappraisal in individuals with PCE but not those without. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that alexithymia is a mechanism underlying poor use of emotional reappraisal in PCE individuals. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Individuals with early-life trauma and substance exposure may represent a vulnerable population, and alexithymia may play a key role in the development of emotional regulation skills in this population. (Am J Addict 2020;29:492-499).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen P Morie
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Zu Wei Zhai
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut.,Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, Connecticut.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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24
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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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25
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Nam G, Lee H, Lee JH, Hur JW. Disguised Emotion in Alexithymia: Subjective Difficulties in Emotion Processing and Increased Empathic Distress. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:698. [PMID: 32765327 PMCID: PMC7379392 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of speculation, many causal aspects that contribute to the heterogeneity of alexithymia still must be clarified. This study examined the extent of the alexithymia phenotype and its contribution to social function in the general population. In total, 200 participants (females = 111) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), multiple self-reporting questionnaires measuring emotion intelligence, empathy, hostility and impulsivity, and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). In the multivariate analysis, highly alexithymic individuals appeared to report subjective deficits in emotion recognition and regulation as well as increased impulsivity; however, their empathy skills were intact, and even the proneness to experiencing empathic distress with others' suffering was increased among alexithymic individuals. We also compared the clinical and behavioral manifestations of highly alexithymic male and female subjects to those of each gender control group. As a result, in contrast to their subjective self-reports of emotion processing impairment, the RMET performance appeared to be preserved in alexithymic females; however, highly alexithymic males showed actual deficits in the emotion identification task. Future research needs to further refine the constructs of alexithymia to incorporate the phenotypic changes in affected individuals in relation to measuring instruments, the extent of empathic distress, and gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gieun Nam
- Clinical Neuro-Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyerin Lee
- Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jang-Han Lee
- Clinical Neuro-Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji-Won Hur
- Department of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
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26
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Morie KP, Jackson S, Zhai ZW, Potenza MN, Dritschel B. Mood Disorders in High-Functioning Autism: The Importance of Alexithymia and Emotional Regulation. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2935-2945. [PMID: 31028592 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04020-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have co-morbid anxiety and depression. Alexithymia and emotion regulation difficulties are commonly seen in individuals with ASD and in mood disorders. We hypothesized that alexithymia and emotional regulation would mediate the relationship between autistic features and anxiety/depression symptom severity. We collected data about emotional regulation, alexithymia, autistic symptoms and depression/anxiety in a sample of 64 young adults with ASD. We constructed two serial multiple mediator models, using autistic features as the independent variable and anxiety/depression symptoms as outcome variables. The serial relationship between alexithymia and emotional regulation mediated associations between autistic features and depression and anxiety, separately. The findings suggest that targeting alexithymia may benefit therapies designed to alleviate mood disorders in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen P Morie
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. .,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Scott Jackson
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. .,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. .,Office of Assessment and Analytics, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT, 06515, USA.
| | - Zu Wei Zhai
- Department of Psychology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.,Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, 06109, USA.,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Barbara Dritschel
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK
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27
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Passardi S, Peyk P, Rufer M, Wingenbach TSH, Pfaltz MC. Facial mimicry, facial emotion recognition and alexithymia in post-traumatic stress disorder. Behav Res Ther 2019; 122:103436. [PMID: 31557692 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2019.103436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show abnormalities in higher-order emotional processes, including emotion regulation and recognition. However, automatic facial responses to observed facial emotion (facial mimicry) has not yet been investigated in PTSD. Furthermore, whereas deficits in facial emotion recognition have been reported, little is known about contributing factors. We thus investigated facial mimicry and potential effects of alexithymia and expressive suppression on facial emotion recognition in PTSD. Thirty-eight PTSD participants, 43 traumatized and 33 non-traumatized healthy controls completed questionnaires assessing alexithymia and expressive suppression. Facial electromyography was measured from the muscles zygomaticus major and corrugator supercilii during a facial emotion recognition task. Corrugator activity was increased in response to negative emotional expressions compared to zygomaticus activity and vice versa for positive emotions, but no significant group differences emerged. Individuals with PTSD reported greater expressive suppression and alexithymia than controls, but only levels of alexithymia predicted lower recognition of negative facial expressions. While automatic facial responses to observed facial emotion seem to be intact in PTSD, alexithymia, but not expressive suppression, plays an important role in facial emotion recognition of negative emotions. If replicated, future research should evaluate whether successful interventions for alexithymia improve facial emotion recognition abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Passardi
- University Hospital Zurich, Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Peyk
- University Hospital Zurich, Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Rufer
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tanja S H Wingenbach
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Centre of Biology and Health Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Monique C Pfaltz
- University Hospital Zurich, Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
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28
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van Strien T, Beijers R, Smeekens S, Winkens LHH, Konttinen H. Parenting quality in infancy and emotional eating in adolescence: Mediation through emotion suppression and alexithymia. Appetite 2019; 141:104339. [PMID: 31265858 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the association between parenting quality at age 15 and 28 months and emotional eating (EE) at age 12 and 16 years through serial mediation by suppression of emotions and alexithymia at 12 years. The sample included 129 children and their parents. Lower parental quality in infancy was related to more suppression of emotions, which in turn was related to more difficulty identifying emotions, and in turn to higher EE in adolescence. This serial mediation model was significant for EE at 12 years, and for EE at 16 years. If future studies reveal converging findings, this knowledge points to the need for programs preventing the development of EE in adolescence through increasing the quality of parenting in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana van Strien
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Behavioural Science Institute, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Behavioural Science Institute, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Sanny Smeekens
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, the Netherlands
| | - Laura H H Winkens
- Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles Chair Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hanna Konttinen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Sfärlea A, Dehning S, Keller LK, Schulte-Körne G. Alexithymia predicts maladaptive but not adaptive emotion regulation strategies in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa or depression. J Eat Disord 2019; 7:41. [PMID: 31798880 PMCID: PMC6883686 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-019-0271-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among adolescent girls, anorexia nervosa (AN) and major depression (MD) are common and often comorbid mental health problems. Both disorders are characterised by difficulties in recognising and verbalising (alexithymia) as well as regulating one's emotions, but research in adolescent patients is scarce and little is known about the relation between alexithymia and difficulties in emotion regulation. The aims of this study were to investigate alexithymia and emotion regulation skills in adolescents with AN, adolescents with MD, and healthy adolescents, and to determine whether alexithymia functions as a predictor for emotion regulation skills. METHODS Emotion regulation strategies, alexithymia, and depressive symptoms were assessed by questionnaire measures in 12-18 year old girls with AN (n = 26), girls with MD (n = 25), and healthy girls (n = 35). Groups were compared with respect to the these variables and multiple regression analyses were calculated separately for adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in order to examine if alexithymia predicted emotion regulation over and above age and depressive symptoms. RESULTS Girls with AN or MD both reported using adaptive emotion regulation strategies less frequently and maladaptive emotion regulation skills more frequently as well as higher levels of alexithymia compared to healthy girls. Alexithymia positively predicted maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, while depressive symptoms negatively predicted adaptive emotion regulation strategies. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that different mechanisms may underlie the lack of adaptive and the surplus of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in adolescent psychiatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca Sfärlea
- 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra Dehning
- 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Lena Katharina Keller
- 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany.,2Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Psychology, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Gerd Schulte-Körne
- 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336 Munich, Germany
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Panayiotou G, Leonidou C, Constantinou E, Michaelides MP. Self-Awareness in alexithymia and associations with social anxiety. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-018-9855-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Zamariola G, Vlemincx E, Corneille O, Luminet O. Relationship between interoceptive accuracy, interoceptive sensibility, and alexithymia. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Erkic M, Bailer J, Fenske SC, Schmidt SNL, Trojan J, Schröder A, Kirsch P, Mier D. Impaired emotion processing and a reduction in trust in patients with somatic symptom disorder. Clin Psychol Psychother 2017; 25:163-172. [PMID: 29044807 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence for deficits in the perception and regulation of one's own emotions, as well as the recognition of others' emotions in somatic symptom disorder (SSD). However, investigations of SSD focusing on specific aspects of emotion processing and how these might interact are missing. We included 35 patients with SSD and 35 healthy controls who completed questionnaires on the perception and regulation of their own emotions, as well as experimental investigations of emotion recognition and trust. In line with previous studies, our results show that SSD patients in comparison to healthy controls have difficulties in the identification and description of own feelings (ηp2 = .381 and ηp2 = .315). Furthermore, we found that patients apply less cognitive reappraisal (ηp2 = .185) but tend to use more expressive suppression (ηp2 = .047). In contrast to previous studies, we found SSD patients to perform superior in emotion recognition, in particular for anger (d = 0.40). In addition, patients with SSD invested less in a trust game (d = 0.73). These results point to a higher sensitivity for negative emotions and less trust in others. Further, these findings suggest a dissociation between the ability to recognize one's own emotions versus others' emotions in SSD. Future interventions targeting emotion processing in SSD might focus on the identification of one's own emotions, prior to the training of emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Erkic
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Josef Bailer
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sabrina C Fenske
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie N L Schmidt
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jörg Trojan
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Annette Schröder
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniela Mier
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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Berke DS, Macdonald A, Poole GM, Portnoy GA, McSheffrey S, Creech SK, Taft CT. Optimizing trauma-informed intervention for intimate partner violence in veterans: The role of alexithymia. Behav Res Ther 2017; 97:222-229. [PMID: 28826068 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent research supports the efficacy of Strength at Home-Men's Program (SAH-M), a trauma-informed group intervention designed to reduce use of intimate partner violence (IPV) in veterans (Taft, Macdonald, Creech, Monson, & Murphy, 2016). However, change-processes facilitating the effectiveness of SAH-M have yet to be specified. Alexithymia, a deficit in the cognitive processing of emotional experience characterized by difficulty identifying and distinguishing between feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and use of an externally oriented thinking style, has been shown to predict PTSD severity and impulsive aggression; however, no studies have investigated the relationship between alexithymia and IPV. As such, the current study examined the role of improvements in alexithymia as a potential facilitator of treatment efficacy among 135 male veterans/service members, in a randomized control trial SAH-M. After an initial assessment including measures of IPV and alexithymia, participants were randomized to an Enhanced Treatment as Usual (ETAU) condition or SAH-M. Participants were assessed three and six months after baseline. Results demonstrated a statistically significant association between alexithymia and use of psychological IPV at baseline. Moreover, participants in the SAH-M condition self-reported significantly greater reductions in alexithymia over time relative to ETAU participants. Findings suggest that a trauma-informed intervention may optimize outcomes, helping men who use IPV both limit their use of violence and improve deficits in emotion processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle S Berke
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Gina M Poole
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Galina A Portnoy
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Savannah McSheffrey
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Suzannah K Creech
- VHA VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Waco, TX, USA
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Panayiotou G, Constantinou E. Emotion dysregulation in alexithymia: Startle reactivity to fearful affective imagery and its relation to heart rate variability. Psychophysiology 2017; 54:1323-1334. [PMID: 28480975 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alexithymia is associated with deficiencies in recognizing and expressing emotions and impaired emotion regulation, though few studies have verified the latter assertion using objective measures. This study examined startle reflex modulation by fearful imagery and its associations with heart rate variability in alexithymia. Fifty-four adults (27 alexithymic) imagined previously normed fear scripts. Startle responses were assessed during baseline, first exposure, and reexposure. During first exposure, participants, in separate trials, engaged in either shallow or deep emotion processing, giving emphasis on descriptive or affective aspects of imagery, respectively. Resting heart rate variability was assessed during 2 min of rest prior to the experiment, with high alexithymic participants demonstrating significantly higher LF/HF (low frequency/high frequency) ratio than controls. Deep processing was associated with nonsignificantly larger and faster startle responses at first exposure for alexithymic participants. Lower LF/HF ratio, reflecting higher parasympathetic cardiac activity, predicted greater startle amplitude habituation for alexithymia but lower habituation for controls. Results suggest that, when exposed to prolonged threat, alexithymics may adjust poorly, showing a smaller initial defensive response but slower habituation. This pattern seems related to their low emotion regulation ability as indexed by heart rate variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Panayiotou
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Brandão T, Schulz MS, Gross JJ, Matos PM. The emotion regulation questionnaire in women with cancer: A psychometric evaluation and an item response theory analysis. Psychooncology 2017; 26:1647-1653. [DOI: 10.1002/pon.4356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tânia Brandão
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Center for Psychology; University of Porto; Porto Portugal
| | - Marc S. Schulz
- Department of Psychology; Bryn Mawr College; Bryn Mawr PA USA
| | - James J. Gross
- Department of Psychology; Stanford University; Stanford CA USA
| | - Paula Mena Matos
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Center for Psychology; University of Porto; Porto Portugal
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Zou Z, Huang Y, Wang J, He Y, Min W, Chen X, Wang J, Zhou B. Association of childhood trauma and panic symptom severity in panic disorder: Exploring the mediating role of alexithymia. J Affect Disord 2016; 206:133-139. [PMID: 27474959 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to examine the association between childhood trauma (CT), alexithymia, and panic symptom severity in patients with panic disorder (PD). Moreover, the effect of specific subtypes of CT on alexithymia and panic symptom severity was also investigated. METHODS 142 patients with PD and 146 healthy age-matched and sex-matched controls were enrolled in the study. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I (SCID-I), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-28 item Short Form (CTQ-28), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) were administered to all subjects. The relationships among CT subtypes, alexithymia, and panic symptom severity were investigated using Pearson's correlation analysis. The types of CT that predict alexithymia and panic symptom severity were also investigated using Regression analyses. RESULTS PD patients showed higher scores on reporting all kinds of CT except sexual abuse. In addition, the TAS-20, DIF (difficulty identifying feelings) and DDF (difficulty describing feelings) scores were significantly higher in patients with PD than in controls. Significant positive correlations were noted among CT, alexithymia and panic symptoms severity. Results of regression analyses showed alexithymia as a mediator between the different types of CT and panic disorder severity, except sexual abuse. LIMITATIONS Although self-report questionnaires are reliable and widely used, the phenomenon of patients who underreport or overreport their symptoms cannot be ignored. CONCLUSION The present study showed that CT and alexithymia are more common in patients with PD and impact the severity of panic symptoms. Results suggest that alexithymia may be an important mediator between CT and panic disorder severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Zou
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Yulan Huang
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinyu Wang
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying He
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenjiao Min
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Zhou
- Department of Psychosomatic, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China.
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