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Xiao Z, Murat Baldwin M, Wong SC, Obsuth I, Meinck F, Murray AL. The Impact of Childhood Psychological Maltreatment on Mental Health Outcomes in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:3049-3064. [PMID: 36123796 PMCID: PMC10594835 DOI: 10.1177/15248380221122816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and childhood emotional neglect (CEN) are the least well-studied forms of childhood maltreatment due to challenges in their definition and in detection. However, the available evidence suggests associations with multiple adulthood mental health problems in clinical and non-clinical populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020197833) explored the associations between CEA and CEN and a range of adulthood mental health problems based on systematic searches of eight databases. In total, 79 English and 11 Chinese studies met our inclusion criteria. Results suggested that CEA and CEN had positive associations with various adulthood mental health problems (d = 0.02-1.84), including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation or attempts, personality disorders, eating disorders, and other psychological symptoms in the general population and across different geographic regions. Furthermore, findings suggested that compared with the non-clinical population, individuals in clinical populations were more likely to have experienced emotional abuse and neglect during childhood. The review highlights the need for more research on emotional abuse and emotional neglect. Furthermore, future research should include more populations from non-western countries and non-college populations. They further underline the importance of addressing issues related to CEA/CEN experiences in the prevention and treatment of mental health issues in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Franziska Meinck
- University of Edinburgh, UK
- North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
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2
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Edwards DJ, Lowe R. Associations Between Mental Health, Interoception, Psychological Flexibility, and Self-as-Context, as Predictors for Alexithymia: A Deep Artificial Neural Network Approach. Front Psychol 2021; 12:637802. [PMID: 33868110 PMCID: PMC8044902 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.637802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Alexithymia is a personality trait which is characterized by an inability to identify and describe conscious emotions of oneself and others. Aim: The present study aimed to determine whether various measures of mental health, interoception, psychological flexibility, and self-as-context, predicted through linear associations alexithymia as an outcome. This also included relevant mediators and non-linear predictors identified for particular sub-groups of participants through cluster analyses of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) output. Methodology: Two hundred and thirty participants completed an online survey which included the following questionnaires: Toronto alexithymia scale; Acceptance and Action Questionnaire 2 (AQQII); Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS-SF), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DAS21); Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA); and the Self-as-Context (SAC) scale. A stepwise backwards linear regression and mediation analysis were performed, as well as a cluster analysis of the non-linear ANN upper hidden layer output. Results: Higher levels of alexithymia were associated with increased psychological inflexibility, lower positive affect scores, and lower interoception for the subscales of “not distracting” and “attention regulation.” SAC mediated the relation between emotional regulation and total alexithymia. The ANNs accounted for more of the variance than the linear regressions, and were able to identify complex and varied patterns within the participant subgroupings. Conclusion: The findings were discussed within the context of developing a SAC processed-based therapeutic model for alexithymia, where it is suggested that alexithymia is a complex and multi-faceted condition, which requires a similarly complex, and process-based approach to accurately diagnose and treat this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren J Edwards
- Department of Public Health, Policy, and Social Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Rob Lowe
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
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Yang JH, Rhee SJ, Park CHK, Kim MJ, Shin D, Lee JW, Kim J, Kim H, Lee HJ, Ha K, Ahn YM. Self-Transcendence Mediates the Relationship between Early Trauma and Fatal Methods of Suicide Attempts. J Korean Med Sci 2021; 36:e39. [PMID: 33527782 PMCID: PMC7850863 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early trauma is known to be a risk factor of suicide-related behavior. On the other hand, people who attempt suicide using a fatal method are reported to be more likely to complete suicide. In this study, we assumed that early trauma affects an individual's temperament and character and thereby increases the risk of a fatal method of suicide attempts. METHODS We analyzed 92 people with a history of previous suicide attempts. We compared the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised scores between the groups with and without early trauma, and between the groups with and without a history of suicide attempt using fatal methods through an analysis of covariance with age, sex, and presence of a psychiatric history as covariates. A mediation analysis was conducted of the relationship between early trauma and fatal methods of suicide attempt with self-transcendence as a mediator. RESULTS Higher self-transcendence was reported in the fatal group (27.71 ± 13.78 vs. 20.97 ± 12.27, P = 0.010) and the early trauma group (28.05 ± 14.30 vs. 19.43 ± 10.73, P = 0.001), respectively. The mediation model showed that self-transcendence mediates the relationship between early trauma and fatal methods of suicide attempt. The 95% confidence intervals for the direct and indirect effect were (-0.559, 1.390) and (0.026, 0.947), respectively. CONCLUSION Self-transcendence may mediate the relationship between early trauma and fatal methods of suicide attempt. Self-transcendence may be associated with unhealthy defenses and suicidal behavior for self-punishment and may constitute a marker of higher suicide risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Hun Yang
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Jin Rhee
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | | | - Min Ji Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Daun Shin
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Won Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Junghyun Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyeyoung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea
| | - Hyun Jeong Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
- Division of Cancer Control & Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Kyooseob Ha
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong Min Ahn
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
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Ledermann K, von Känel R, Barth J, Schnyder U, Znoj H, Schmid JP, Meister Langraff RE, Princip M. Myocardial infarction-induced acute stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms: the moderating role of an alexithymia trait - difficulties identifying feelings. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2020; 11:1804119. [PMID: 33488995 PMCID: PMC7803082 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1804119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been acknowledged that medical life-threatening experiences such as an acute myocardial infarction (MI) often lead to acute stress disorder symptoms (ASS), which in turn can result in the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Previous studies have suggested an association between various traumatic experiences and alexithymia. The association of alexithymia with ASS and PTSS in patients with MI is elusive. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine the association of alexithymia with MI-induced ASS and PTSS in patients at high risk of developing PTSD. METHOD Patients (N = 154) were examined twice, once within 48 hours, and then again three months after acute MI. All patients completed the self-rating Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) within 48 hours after the cardiac event. Three months after hospital discharge, all patients completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and underwent the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), a structured interview to assess the severity of PTSS. Descriptive statistics, correlations, multivariate linear regressions, and moderation analysis were conducted. RESULTS The linear regression model explained 23% of the variance in MI-induced PTSS-symptoms (F(6.109) = 5.58, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.23. ASS was significantly related to PTSS severity (r (152) = p < 0.001). The scores of the TAS-20 subscale difficulties identifying feelings (DIF) were found to significantly moderate this relationship (R2 = 0.03, p = 0.04). The scores of TAS-20 subscales DDF and EOT as well as the TAS-20 total score had no influence on the relationship between ASS and PTSS (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION In MI patients with high levels of DIF, ASS predicted the development of PTSS. If replicated, the finding may inform emotion-oriented interventions to investigate whether increasing the capacity to identify feelings following acute MI could be beneficial in preventing the development of PTSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Ledermann
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Roland von Känel
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Barth
- Institute for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Schnyder
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hansjörg Znoj
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Paul Schmid
- Department of Cardiology, Clinic Barmelweid, Barmelweid, Switzerland
| | | | - Mary Princip
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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De Berardis D, Vellante F, Fornaro M, Anastasia A, Olivieri L, Rapini G, Serroni N, Orsolini L, Valchera A, Carano A, Tomasetti C, Varasano PA, Pressanti GL, Bustini M, Pompili M, Serafini G, Perna G, Martinotti G, Di Giannantonio M. Alexithymia, suicide ideation, affective temperaments and homocysteine levels in drug naïve patients with post-traumatic stress disorder: an exploratory study in the everyday 'real world' clinical practice. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2020; 24:83-87. [PMID: 31829763 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2019.1699575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The present exploratory study aimed to investigate relationships between alexithymia, suicide ideation, affective temperaments and homocysteine levels among drug-naïve adult outpatients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in an everyday 'real world' clinical setting.Method: Sixty-four adult outpatients with PTSD were evaluated using the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Scale of Suicide Ideation (SSI), the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire. As well, homocysteine levels were measured.Results: Alexithymic subjects showed higher values on all scales but not homocysteine levels. Partial correlations showed that almost all studied variables were correlated with each other, except homocysteine levels. Regression analysis showed that higher disorder severity as measured by DTS and TAS-20 'Difficulty in Identifying Feelings' dimension was associated with higher SSI scores.Conclusions: In conclusion, alexithymic PTSD outpatients may be characterised by higher disorder severity and difficulty in identifying feelings that may be linked to increased suicide ideation, regardless of affective temperaments or homocysteine levels. Homocysteine levels were not related to any studied variable. However, study limitations are discussed and must be considered. KeypointsPatients with alexithymia showed increased PTSD severity, a higher score on TEMPS-A subscales, and more severe suicide ideation.The Difficulty in Identifying Feelings (DIF) dimension of TAS-20 was associated with suicide ideation in patients with PTSD.Homocysteine did not correlate with any studied variables.This study was exploratory and cross-sectional: further larger and prospective studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico De Berardis
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital 'G. Mazzini', Teramo, Italy.,Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, University 'G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Federica Vellante
- Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, University 'G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Michele Fornaro
- Department of Psychiatry, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.,Polyedra, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Luigi Olivieri
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital 'G. Mazzini', Teramo, Italy
| | - Gabriella Rapini
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital 'G. Mazzini', Teramo, Italy
| | - Nicola Serroni
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital 'G. Mazzini', Teramo, Italy
| | - Laura Orsolini
- Polyedra, Teramo, Italy.,School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - 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, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
| | - Carmine Tomasetti
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital 'SS. Annunziata' ASL, Giulianova, Italy
| | | | | | - Massimiliano Bustini
- NHS, Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital 'San Camillo de Lellis' ASL, Rieti, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, S. Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Serafini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Perna
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital, FoRiPsi, Albese con Cassano, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, Miami University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Giovanni Martinotti
- Department of Neurosciences and Imaging, University 'G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
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de Bruin PMJ, de Haan HA, Kok T. The prediction of alexithymia as a state or trait characteristic in patients with substance use disorders and PTSD. Psychiatry Res 2019; 282:112634. [PMID: 31757640 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alexithymia is common in patients with a substance use disorder (SUD) and is possibly a negative prognostic factor in their treatment. The aim of this study was twofold. First, we explored whether SUD patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more alexithymic than SUD patients without PTSD. Next, we explored whether trait and state-related parts of alexithymia could be differentiated in these patients. This phenomenon was studied in 197 SUD patients with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20); Clinician Administered PTSD Scale; Self-Report Inventory for PTSD; Traumatic Experiences Checklist; European Addiction Severity Index; and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale in a cross-sectional design. SUD patients with current PTSD showed more alexithymic characteristics than patients without PTSD or with previous lifetime/not current PTSD. The severity of PTSD complaints; alcohol addiction; and the combination of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, all of which are more related to alexithymia as a state, explained 38.1% of the TAS-20. In conclusion, we advise that SUD patients be assessed for alexithymia and that its degree is taken into account. We also tentatively assume that a considerable part of alexithymia is more state- than trait-related in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peggy M J de Bruin
- Tactus Addiction Treatment, P.O. Box 154, 7400 AD Deventer, the Netherlands.
| | - Hein A de Haan
- Tactus Addiction Treatment, P.O. Box 154, 7400 AD Deventer, the Netherlands; Nijmegen Institute for Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Tim Kok
- Tactus Addiction Treatment, P.O. Box 154, 7400 AD Deventer, the Netherlands; Nijmegen Institute for Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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7
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The role of personality in posttraumatic stress disorder, trait resilience, and quality of life in people exposed to the Kiss nightclub fire. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220472. [PMID: 31356601 PMCID: PMC6663027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the relationship among personality (according to Cloninger’s psychobiological model), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, trait resilience and quality of life (QoL) in people who were exposed to the Kiss nightclub fire. Methods 188 participants were assessed with the Posttraumatic Checklist–civilian version (PCL-C), the Resilience Scale (RS), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Bref (WHOQOL-Bref), and the WHOQOL-100 Spirituality, religiousness, and personal beliefs (WHOQOL-100-SRPB). Data were analyzed in a dimensional approach, with correlation analysis, multiple linear regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with PCL-C, RS, and WHOQOL-Bref dimensions as dependent variables. Results Multiple linear regression showed that PTSD symptoms were predicted by harm avoidance (β = .34, p < .001), self-directedness (β = -.28, p < .01), and self-transcendence (β = .24, p < .01). Trait resilience was predicted by harm avoidance (β = -.38, p < .01), self-directedness (β = .20, p < .05), and self-transcendence (β = .18, p < .05). Also, PTSD symptoms had considerable negative effect on all dimensions of QoL. Self-transcendence was a positive predictor of subjective and spiritual QoL. SEM showed that QoL was predicted by PTSD symptoms (β = -.52, p < .001), trait resilience (β = .30, p < .001), cooperativeness (β = .135, p = 0.40), and self-directedness (β = .27, p < .01). The effect of self-directedness on QoL was mediated by PTSD symptoms and trait resilience. PTSD symptoms also mediated the relationship between trait resilience and QoL, and RS mediated the relationship of personality and PTSD symptoms. Conclusion The study gives insights on prediction of PTSD severity, trait resilience and QoL from temperament and character traits, in a sample of people exposed to the Kiss nightclub fire. Harm avoidance was the most influent trait on PTSD symptoms and trait resilience. Self-directedness was the most import trait related to QoL, still that it was more related to PTSD severity than personality traits. Self-transcendence had positive effects on both PTSD symptoms and trait resilience, indicating a coping style that may coexist with psychopathology.
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8
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Sopp MR, Brueckner AH, Michael T. The Prospective Influence of Trait Alexithymia on Intrusive Memories: What Is the Role of Emotional Recognition Memory? Front Psychol 2019; 9:2642. [PMID: 30670997 PMCID: PMC6331440 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often considered to be a disorder of memory as patients suffer from fragmented uncontrollable memories (intrusions) whilst experiencing difficulties in intentionally retrieving details of the traumatic event. Recent research suggests that trait-related deficits in the identification of emotional states (alexithymia) may impact emotional memory processes in a way that promotes intrusion formation in PTSD. Therefore, we investigated the influence of alexithymia on intrusive re-experiencing and emotional recognition memory in a prospective analog study. Twenty-six healthy participants took part in a laboratory experiment, which combined two independent paradigms. Participants were exposed to a traumatic film (first session) and completed an episodic memory task comprising neutral and emotional stimuli (second session). In between sessions, participants recorded intrusive memories of the film. Individuals with higher trait alexithymia (HTA) reported an increased number of intrusions on the day of film presentation. Moreover, analyses of memory performance revealed a negative correlation between alexithymia and emotional recognition memory. Further analyses suggest that reduced emotional recognition memory, as evident in individuals with HTA, may, in turn, be associated with enhanced intrusive re-experiencing. As such, the current findings provide first indications regarding the role of alexithymia in emotional learning and PTSD. Future studies should further investigate these associations as well as potential implications for the treatment of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Roxanne Sopp
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
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9
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Ponce de León B, Andersen S, Karstoft KI, Murphy S, Elklit A. Sensation seeking as a predictor of psychopathology in Danish soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2018.1478544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Ponce de León
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark
- Psychiatry, Afdeling for Traume- og Torturoverlevere, Region of Southern Denmark
| | - Søren Andersen
- Research and Knowledge Centre, The Danish Veteran Centre, Ringsted, Denmark
| | | | - Siobhan Murphy
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark
| | - Ask Elklit
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark
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10
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Cruise KE, Becerra R. Alexithymia and problematic alcohol use: A critical update. Addict Behav 2018; 77:232-246. [PMID: 29107201 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
There has been a substantial growth in empirical research aimed at examining the co-occurrence of alexithymia and problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) since Thorberg, Young, Sullivan, and Lyvers (2009) original review article. The objective of the present paper is therefore to provide a critical update review of research on alexithymia and problematic alcohol use published since 2009. A systematic search was conducted through PsychINFO, Medline, and ProQuest databases to obtain relevant literature published between 2009 and 2016. Studies that involved measures of alexithymia and problematic alcohol use among clinical and non-clinical samples were included. Prevalence rates of alexithymia among Alcohol Dependent (AD) samples were identified between 30 and 49%, and were therefore much lower than originally reported. The findings of this update review highlight an indirect relationship between alexithymia and alcohol problem severity that is mediated by a number of psychological drinking constructs (e.g., alcohol expectancy, drinking motives, craving and alcohol related intrusive thoughts) and psychological risk factors for the development of alcohol related problems (e.g., mood and emotion dysregulation, attachment, trauma, and cognitive function). In addition, this review provides reasonable evidence to support alexithymia as an independent risk factor for alcohol related problems among clinical samples only. In conclusion, alexithymia is a multifaceted construct that has a complex relationship with various risk factors and psychological drinking constructs. The growing body of research highlights the demand for understanding the interrelationships between alexithymia, psychosocial risk factors, and problematic alcohol use in order to tailor and target therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Cruise
- School of Psychology and Social Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia.
| | - R Becerra
- School of Psychology and Social Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia.
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11
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Women's experiences of living with postnatal PTSD. Midwifery 2018; 56:70-78. [DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2017.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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12
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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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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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Edwards ER, Micek A, Mottarella K, Wupperman P. Emotion Ideology Mediates Effects of Risk Factors on Alexithymia Development. JOURNAL OF RATIONAL-EMOTIVE AND COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR THERAPY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10942-016-0254-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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15
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López-Martínez AE, Serrano-Ibáñez ER, Ruiz-Párraga GT, Gómez-Pérez L, Ramírez-Maestre C, Esteve R. Physical Health Consequences of Interpersonal Trauma: A Systematic Review of the Role of Psychological Variables. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2016; 19:305-322. [PMID: 27456113 DOI: 10.1177/1524838016659488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Interpersonal forms of trauma are among the most commonly reported traumas. These types of traumas are more damaging to well-being than noninterpersonal forms. They have also been strongly associated with somatic symptoms and more general physical health problems. Nevertheless, the results of trauma studies are mixed and suggest that pathways may vary according to the stressors, mediators, and health outcomes investigated. This article presents a systematic qualitative review of published studies that have investigated interpersonal trauma, its association with physical health, and the potential role of intervening psychological variables. A systematic search was made of four psychology and health electronic databases. Of the 863 studies reviewed, 50 were preselected, 11 of which met the inclusion and methodological quality criteria. All but one study had a cross-sectional design. The findings showed that childhood trauma exposure was the most common category of interpersonal trauma addressed in the reviewed studies and that the physical health variables investigated were diverse. The psychological variables most frequently investigated in the studies were posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, dissociation, and substance abuse. Overall, the results suggest that interpersonal trauma exposure is associated with poorer physical health; however, the role of intervening psychological variables remains unclear. The limitations of the reviewed literature are discussed, and methodological recommendations are made for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia E López-Martínez
- 1 University of Málaga, Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Málaga, Spain
| | - Elena R Serrano-Ibáñez
- 1 University of Málaga, Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Málaga, Spain
| | - Gema T Ruiz-Párraga
- 1 University of Málaga, Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Málaga, Spain
| | | | - Carmen Ramírez-Maestre
- 1 University of Málaga, Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Málaga, Spain
| | - Rosa Esteve
- 1 University of Málaga, Faculty of Psychology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Málaga, Spain
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16
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Duclot F, Perez-Taboada I, Wright KN, Kabbaj M. Prediction of individual differences in fear response by novelty seeking, and disruption of contextual fear memory reconsolidation by ketamine. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:293-305. [PMID: 27343386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Only a portion of the population exposed to trauma will develop persistent emotional alterations characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which illustrates the necessity for identifying vulnerability factors and novel pharmacotherapeutic alternatives. Interestingly, clinical evidence suggests that novelty seeking is a good predictor for vulnerability to the development of excessive and persistent fear. Here, we first tested this hypothesis by analyzing contextual and cued fear responses of rats selected for their high (high responders, HR) or low (low responders, LR) exploration of a novel environment, indicator of novelty seeking. While HR and LR rats exhibited similar sensitivity to the shock and cued fear memory retention, fewer extinction sessions were required in HR than LR animals to reach extinction, indicating faster contextual and cued memory extinction. In a second part, we found an effective disruption of contextual fear reconsolidation by the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine, associated with a down-regulation of early growth response 1 (Egr1) in the hippocampal CA1 area, and up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) mRNA levels in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices. Altogether, these data demonstrate a link between novelty seeking and conditioned fear extinction, and highlight a promising novel role of ketamine in affecting established fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Iara Perez-Taboada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Katherine N Wright
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
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17
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Ling Y, Zeng Y, Yuan H, Zhong M. Cross-cultural validation of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in Chinese adolescents. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2016; 23:179-87. [PMID: 27028136 DOI: 10.1111/jpm.12298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The TAS-20 is the most widely used self-reported questionnaire to assess the level of alexithymia in students and community and clinical samples. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: The TAS-20-C exhibited high levels of reliability and validity, indicating that it is appropriate for the assessment of alexithymia in Chinese adolescents. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Screening adolescents who are at risk of alexithymia through the TAS-20 could help to perform necessary and effective precautions to decrease the adverse effects of alexithymia, such as the risks of developing depressive mood and behavioral problems. ABSTRACT Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20-C) in a sample of Chinese adolescents. Method Adolescents (n = 1260) recruited from three schools in mainland China completed the TAS-20-C, the somatization subscale of the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Five different factorial models of the TAS-20 were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach's α, mean inter-item correlations and predictive validity were also evaluated. Results Among those five different factorial models, the four-factor structure model was suitable and invariant across gender and age in this sample. The TAS-20-C demonstrated adequate internal reliability. Gender and age accounted for insignificant amounts of variability in total TAS-20-C and factor scores. TAS-20-C total and subscale scores were correlated significantly with SCL-90 somatization subscale and CES-D. Girls scored higher than boys on difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) and pragmatic thinking (PR) subscales. DIF and lack of subjective significance or importance of emotions (IMs) subscale scores were higher among younger than among middle and older adolescents. Implications for Practice Validating the TAS-20 in adolescents is quite important to use it in evaluating adolescents' alexithymia, and screen those at risk of alexithymia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Ling
- College of Education, Hunan Agriculture University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Y Zeng
- College of Education, Hunan Agriculture University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - H Yuan
- Students Affairs Department, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - M Zhong
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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18
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Gaher RM, O'Brien C, Smiley P, Hahn AM. Alexithymia, Coping Styles and Traumatic Stress Symptoms in a Sample of Veterans Who Experienced Military Sexual Trauma. Stress Health 2016; 32:55-62. [PMID: 25393043 DOI: 10.1002/smi.2578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2012] [Revised: 03/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined the association between alexithymia and coping styles (planning, positive reinterpretation and growth, social-emotion coping, and denial), and trauma symptoms in a clinical sample of 170 male and female veterans who experienced sexual trauma during military service. Denial was the only coping style positively associated with trauma symptoms, and it mediated the relationship between alexithymia and trauma symptoms. Alexithymia was negatively associated with planning. Likewise, alexithymia was negatively associated with social-emotional coping and with positive reinterpretation and growth. The results speak to the significant role that alexithymia has in predicting individual coping styles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carol O'Brien
- Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Health Care System, St Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Paul Smiley
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
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19
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Pelissolo A, Moukheiber A, Mallet L. Obsessive-compulsive disorders and anxiety disorders: A comparison of personality and emotionality patterns. Psychiatry Res 2015; 229:695-701. [PMID: 26292619 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Even though obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) and anxiety disorders (AD) have been separated in the taxonomy adopted by the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, many issues remain concerning the physiopathological similarities and differences between those categories. Our objective was therefore to explore and compare their personality and emotional features, with the assumption that the distinction of two independent spectrums should imply the existence of two partially distinct temperamental profiles. We used the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-R) and the Positive and Negative Emotionality (PNE) scale to compare two groups of patients with OCD (n=227) or AD (n=827). The latter group included patients with social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. Most temperament, character and emotionality measures showed no significant differences between both groups. In the personality measures results, only the self-directedness score (TCI-R) was significantly lower in OCD patients but this difference was not significant when the comparison was adjusted for the depressive scale score and age. Only lower PNE positive affects scores were obtained in OCD patients in the adjusted comparisons. These findings suggest that OCD and AD are not really distinguishable from the point of view of associated personality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Pelissolo
- AP-HP, Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Université Paris-Est Créteil, INSERM U955, Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.
| | - Albert Moukheiber
- AP-HP, Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Université Paris-Est Créteil, INSERM U955, Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France
| | - Luc Mallet
- AP-HP, Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Université Paris-Est Créteil, INSERM U955, Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France; Behaviour, Emotion, and Basal Ganglia, UPMC - INSERM UMR 975 - CNRS UMR 7225, ICM - Brain & Spine Institute, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
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20
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Seo HJ, Jung YE, Jeong S, Kim JB, Lee MS, Kim JM, Yim HW, Jun TY. Personality traits associated with suicidal behaviors in patients with depression: the CRESCEND study. Compr Psychiatry 2014; 55:1085-92. [PMID: 24794639 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to identify personality traits associated with suicidal behavior in patients with depression. Of the 1183 patients screened for an observational cohort study of depression, 334 (28.2%) who completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were included in these analyses. To minimize the effect of current mood state, the TCI was performed 12 weeks after initiation of treatment, and we adjusted for the severity of depression. Of the 344 participants, 59 had a lifetime history of at least one suicide attempt, 37 had a lifetime history of multiple suicide attempts, and 5 attempted suicide during the 12-week study period. At baseline, patients with a lifetime history of at least one suicide attempt, a lifetime history of multiple suicide attempts, and a suicide attempt during the study period expressed more serious current suicidal ideation than did those without such a history, despite the absence of differences among the groups in the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Of the seven personality scales of the TCI, lower scores on the self-directedness scale of the character dimension were associated with a history of at least one suicide attempt (OR [95% CI], 0.91 [0.87-0.96]; p<0.001), a history of multiple suicide attempts (0.91 [0.86-0.97]; p=0.003), and suicide attempts during study period (0.80 [0.69-0.94]; p=0.006). These findings suggest that depressed patients with a history of suicidal behavior differ from non-attempters with regard to personality traits, especially the character dimension of self-directedness. It is noteworthy that this result emerged after controlling for the effect of current mood state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Jun Seo
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Eun Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Jeong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Bum Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Keimyung University, School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Soo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Min Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Woo Yim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Youn Jun
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Clinical Research Center for Depression, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Eichhorn S, Brähler E, Franz M, Friedrich M, Glaesmer H. Traumatic experiences, alexithymia, and posttraumatic symptomatology: a cross-sectional population-based study in Germany. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2014; 5:23870. [PMID: 25206956 PMCID: PMC4149745 DOI: 10.3402/ejpt.v5.23870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Revised: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have established an association between number of traumatic experiences and alexithymia. The present study examines this relationship in a large-scale representative sample of the German general population (N=2,507) and explores the potential mediating effects of posttraumatic symptomatology, particularly avoidance/numbing. METHODS Alexithymia was assessed with the German version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Posttraumatic symptomatology was operationalized by the symptom score of the modified German version of the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale, and traumatic experiences were assessed with the trauma list of the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Two mediation analyses were conducted. RESULTS Of the total sample, 24.2% (n=606) reported at least one traumatic experience, 10.6% (n=258) were classified as alexithymic, and 2.4% (n=59) fulfilled the criteria of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants who had survived five or more traumatic experiences had significantly higher alexithymia sum scores. The PTSD symptom cluster avoidance/numbing mediated the association between the number of traumatic experiences and alexithymia. CONCLUSIONS Our findings illustrate an association between number of traumatic experiences and alexithymia and the influence of emotional avoidance and numbing within this relationship. The significant relationship between alexithymia and number of traumatic experiences in a general population sample further supports the concept of multiple and complex traumatization as associated with alexithymia. The results suggest the importance of further investigations determining the causal impact of alexithymia both as a potential premorbid trait and as consequence of traumatization. Lastly, future investigations are needed to clarify alexithymia as a distinct trauma-relevant characteristic for better diagnostics and specialized trauma-integrative therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Eichhorn
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elmar Brähler
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany ; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Franz
- Clinical Institute for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Friedrich
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heide Glaesmer
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Dalbudak E, Evren C, Aldemir S, Coskun KS, Yıldırım FG, Ugurlu H. Alexithymia and personality in relation to social anxiety among university students. Psychiatry Res 2013; 209:167-72. [PMID: 23246382 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Revised: 11/11/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The aims of the present study were to investigate the relationship of social anxiety symptoms with alexithymia and personality dimensions in university students and to control the effects of depression and anxiety on this relationship. A total of 319 university students (85 males and 234 females) from two different universities in Ankara were investigated with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). We found that subscales of the LSAS (fear or anxiety and avoidance) were positively correlated with depression and alexithymia and "difficulty in identifying feelings" (DIF) and "difficulty in describing feelings" (DDF) subscales of the TAS-20. Harm avoidance (HA) showed positive correlations with subscales of the LSAS, whereas self-directedness (SD) showed negative correlations with these subscales. High TAS-20 DDFand HA and low SD predicted fear or anxiety LSAS subscale scores, whereas high TAS-20 DDF, HA and depression scores were predictors for LSAS avoidance subscale scores. Although our sample is not representative of the whole Turkish university student population, we conclude that both fear or anxiety and avoidance were mainly interrelated with DDF and HA, although the causal relationship is not clear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ercan Dalbudak
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Fatih University, Ankara, Turkey.
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23
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Waldrop AE, Cohen BE. Trauma exposure predicts alcohol, nicotine, and drug problems beyond the contribution of PTSD and depression in patients with cardiovascular disease: data from the Heart and Soul Study. Am J Addict 2013; 23:53-61. [PMID: 24313242 DOI: 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12053.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2012] [Revised: 01/04/2013] [Accepted: 01/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study examined the role of lifetime trauma exposure in a longitudinal study of adults with cardiovascular disease to determine the unique contribution of trauma exposure to risk for drug and alcohol problems and smoking. METHODS Data were drawn from the Heart and Soul Study, a prospective cohort study designed to determine the mechanisms of associations between psychological factors and increased risk of cardiovascular events in high-risk patients (n = 1,022). RESULTS Lifetime exposure to a higher number of trauma types predicted substance use outcomes beyond risk explained by PTSD and depression. In addition, across trauma types, interpersonal traumas were most strongly associated with substance use problems. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that, though PTSD and depression play a role in the association between trauma exposure and substance use, many other factors also contribute; therefore focusing on these psychological comorbidities alone is not sufficient. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE The integration of mental health care and/or case management support with primary and specialty medical care may improve detection and treatment for patients with substance use and comorbid mental and physical health problems. Screening for trauma exposure is an important part of good clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Waldrop
- San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, California; University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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24
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Mitsui N, Asakura S, Inoue T, Shimizu Y, Fujii Y, Kako Y, Tanaka T, Kitagawa N, Kusumi I. Temperament and character profiles of Japanese university student suicide completers. Compr Psychiatry 2013; 54:556-61. [PMID: 23246072 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2012.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2012] [Revised: 10/25/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to investigate the personality traits of suicide completers using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scale. METHODS Newly enrolled students who enrolled at Hokkaido University in 1999-2002 and 2004-2007 completed the TCI. Among these students, twenty subjects (2 females and 18 males) later completed suicide. We compared the TCI scales of these subjects with those of 60 (6 females and 54 males) well-matched controls. The controls were matched for age, gender, university department and year of enrollment in the university. Because the number of females was too small, the statistical analyses for the TCI subscales and logistic regression analysis were performed only with the 18 males. RESULTS A univariate analysis of seven personality dimensions on the TCI revealed higher scores of harm avoidance (HA) in subjects with suicide completion (P=0.034). Analysis of the male subjects showed that suicide completers had higher scores for anticipatory worry (HA1, P=0.007) and fear of uncertainty (HA2, P=0.036) and lower scores for spiritual acceptance (ST3, P=0.038) than did the controls. A multivariate analysis, which was performed to adjust confounding factors, demonstrated significantly higher scores for HA1 among suicide completers (P=0.01, OR=1.32). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that higher HA scores may predict suicide completion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuyuki Mitsui
- Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
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Evren C, Ozcetinkaya S, Ulku M, Cagil D, Gokalp P, Cetin T, Yigiter S. Relationship of defense styles with history of childhood trauma and personality in heroin dependent inpatients. Psychiatry Res 2012; 200:728-33. [PMID: 22917960 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2011] [Revised: 05/26/2012] [Accepted: 07/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the present study the defense styles were assessed in heroin dependent inpatients to verify whether they used less adaptive defense mechanisms compared to healthy controls and to evaluate if immature defense styles are related with childhood traumas, while controlling the effect of age, temperament and character on this relationship in male heroin dependent inpatients. Participants were consecutively admitted 109 male heroin dependent inpatients and 60 healthy controls. Patients were investigated with the Defense Style Questionnaire, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and Temperament and Character Inventory. Heroin dependent patients were using immature defense style more, particularly acting-out and splitting, than the control group. Together with lower age, immature defense style discriminated heroin dependents from control group (lower age, and higher devaluation and splitting in second regression model). Lower physical neglect score was related with a mature defense style, whereas higher cooperativeness (C) and self-transcendence (ST) were related with a neurotic defense style and lower reward dependence (RD), self-directedness (SD) and higher ST and emotional abuse were related with immature defense style. These suggest that heroin dependents are using maladaptive immature defense styles more, which can be taken into account in the development of therapeutic programs for these patients. Also, immature defense style may mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and some personality dimensions (lower RD, SD and higher ST) in heroin dependent inpatients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuneyt Evren
- Bakırköy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Alcohol and Drug Research, Treatment and Training Center (AMATEM), Istanbul, Turkey.
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Rzeszutek M, Oniszczenko W, Firląg-Burkacka E. Temperament traits, coping style and trauma symptoms in HIV+ men and women. AIDS Care 2012; 24:1150-4. [DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2012.687819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Rzeszutek
- a Faculty of Psychology , University of Warsaw , Warsaw , Poland
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Changes in Affect and Drinking Outcomes in a Pharmacobehavioral Trial for Alcohol Dependence. ADDICTIVE DISORDERS & THEIR TREATMENT 2012; 11:14-25. [PMID: 22368517 DOI: 10.1097/adt.0b013e31821e1072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Despite extensive research exploring affect in alcohol dependent individuals in recovery, empirical research on affective changes over the course of psychosocial treatment and their role on drinking outcomes has been minimal. The present study examined the relationship between changes in positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and drinking outcomes during a pharmacobehavioral trial. METHOD: Data for these post-hoc exploratory analyses were derived from a clinical trial of 321 alcohol dependent male and female individuals. The study design had four treatment arms for medication: three levels of dose of ondansetron as well as a control condition (placebo). All participants received weekly cognitive behavioral therapy for twelve weeks. We conducted an exploratory evaluation of changes in negative and positive affect and drinking behavior over time during the treatment phase of the trial using multilevel modeling. RESULTS: Participants experienced substantial reductions in drinking, decreases in NA, and increases in PA over the course of treatment. Individuals who experienced increases in PA over the course of treatment significantly reduced their drinking in subsequent weeks, while those who had reductions in NA only experienced reductions in drinking later in treatment if they also reported increases in PA. These results support the role of affect regulation in treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that affective change during the course of treatment may serve as one potential mechanism of action for changes in drinking behavior. The interaction between reductions in NA and increases in PA may be particularly important in promoting new coping skills and reducing drinking.
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Duclot F, Hollis F, Darcy MJ, Kabbaj M. Individual differences in novelty-seeking behavior in rats as a model for psychosocial stress-related mood disorders. Physiol Behav 2010; 104:296-305. [PMID: 21172365 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Revised: 11/12/2010] [Accepted: 12/13/2010] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Most neuropsychiatric disorders, including stress-related mood disorders, are complex multi-parametric syndromes. Diagnoses are therefore hard to establish and current therapeutic strategies suffer from significant variability in effectiveness, making the understanding of inter-individual variations crucial to unveiling effective new treatments. In rats, such individual differences are observed during exposure to a novel environment, where individuals will exhibit either high or low locomotor activity and can thus be separated into high (HR) and low (LR) responders, respectively. In rodents, a long-lasting, psychosocial, stress-induced depressive state can be triggered by exposure to a social defeat procedure. We therefore analyzed the respective vulnerabilities of HR and LR animals to long-lasting, social defeat-induced behavioral alterations relevant to mood disorders. Two weeks after four daily consecutive social defeat exposures, HR animals exhibit higher anxiety levels, reduced body weight gain, sucrose preference, and a marked social avoidance. LR animals, however, remain unaffected. Moreover, while repeated social defeat exposure induces long-lasting contextual fear memory in both HR and LR animals, only HR individuals exhibit marked freezing behavior four weeks after a single social defeat. Combined, these findings highlight the critical involvement of inter-individual variations in novelty-seeking behavior in the vulnerability to stress-related mood disorders, and uncover a promising model for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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Baslet G. Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: a model of their pathogenic mechanism. Seizure 2010; 20:1-13. [PMID: 21106406 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2010.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2010] [Revised: 09/22/2010] [Accepted: 10/25/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) consist of paroxystic events facilitated by a dysfunction in emotion processing. Models explaining the pathogenic mechanisms leading to these seizure-like episodes are limited. In this article, evidence that supports dysfunction at the level of arousal tolerance, cognitive-emotional information processing and volitional control is reviewed. A hypothetical pathophysiological mechanism is discussed based on functional neuroimaging evidence from PNES-related conditions and traits. This pathophysiological model suggests an alteration in the influence and connection of brain areas involved in emotion processing onto other brain areas responsible for sensorimotor and cognitive processes. Integrating this information, PNES are conceptualized as brief episodes facilitated by an unstable cognitive-emotional attention system. During the episodes, sensorimotor and cognitive processes are modified or not properly integrated, allowing the deployment of autonomous prewired behavioral tendencies. Finally, I elaborate on how therapeutic applications could be modified based on the proposed hypothetical model, potentially improving clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaston Baslet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 South Wood Street, M/C 913, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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