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Preece DA, Mehta A, Petrova K, Sikka P, Pemberton E, Gross JJ. Alexithymia profiles and depression, anxiety, and stress. J Affect Disord 2024; 357:116-125. [PMID: 38387670 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.02.071] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia is a multidimensional trait comprised of difficulties identifying feelings, difficulties describing feelings, and externally orientated thinking. It is regarded as an important risk factor for emotional disorders, but there are presently limited data on each specific facet of alexithymia, or the extent to which deficits in processing negative emotions, positive emotions, or both, are important. In this study, we address these gaps by using the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) to comprehensively examine the relationships between alexithymia and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. METHODS University students (N = 1250) completed the PAQ and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Pearson correlations, hierarchical regressions, and latent profile analysis were conducted. RESULTS All facets of alexithymia, across both valence domains, were significantly correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (r = 0.27-0.40). Regression analyses indicated that the alexithymia facets, together, could account for a significant 14.6 %-16.4 % of the variance in depression, anxiety, and stress. Difficulties identifying negative feelings and difficulties identifying positive feelings were the strongest unique predictors across all symptom categories. Our latent profile analysis extracted eight profiles, comprising different combinations of alexithymia facets and psychopathology symptoms, collectively highlighting the transdiagnostic relevance of alexithymia facets. LIMITATIONS Our study involved a student sample, and further work in clinical samples will be beneficial. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that all facets of alexithymia, across both valence domains, are relevant for understanding depression, anxiety, and stress. These findings demonstrate the value of facet-level and valence-specific alexithymia assessments, informing more comprehensive understanding and more targeted treatments of emotional disorder symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Preece
- Curtin University, Curtin enAble Institute & School of Population Health, Australia; Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States of America; The University of Western Australia, School of Psychological Science, Australia.
| | - Ashish Mehta
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States of America
| | - Kate Petrova
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States of America
| | - Pilleriin Sikka
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States of America; University of Turku, Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Finland; University of Turku, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Finland; University of Skövde, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, Sweden
| | - Ethan Pemberton
- Edith Cowan University, Psychology Department, Perth, Australia
| | - James J Gross
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States of America
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Chen J, Wang DM, Tian Y, Zhu R, Li Y, Jia L, Fu F, Tang S, Wang X, Wang L, Zhang XY. Childhood abuse and craving in methamphetamine-dependent individuals: the mediating role of alexithymia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024:10.1007/s00406-024-01775-2. [PMID: 38530443 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-024-01775-2] [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] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Individuals with a history of childhood abuse (CA, including neglect and abuse by caregivers before the age of 18 years) have more severe substance dependence problems than those without a history of childhood abuse. However, whether a history of CA exacerbates craving and the mechanism of this effect remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the role of alexithymia in the effects of CA on craving in a large sample of methamphetamine-dependent individuals based on latent vulnerability theory. A total of 324 methamphetamine-dependent individuals who met DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder were recruited. CA, alexithymia, and craving data were collected from the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, and the Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale, respectively. t tests and ANCOVA were conducted to compare variables between the CA and non-CA groups, while partial correlation and mediation analyses were conducted to examine the potential mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between CA and craving. Abused methamphetamine-dependent individuals reported higher levels of craving and higher levels of alexithymia than those of non-abused methamphetamine-dependent individuals. Alexithymia partially mediated the link between CA and craving, especially the effect of CA on craving frequency was fully mediated by alexithymia. Our findings reveal that a history of childhood abuse has a lasting effect on craving in stimulant-dependent individuals, and alexithymia contributes to some extent to the severity of substance abuse problems in abused methamphetamine-dependent individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Mei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rongrong Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lianglun Jia
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | - Fabing Fu
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | | | - Xiaotao Wang
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Chan RYT, Hu HX, Wang LL, Chan MKM, Ho ZTY, Cheng KM, Lui SSY, Chan RCK. Emotional subtypes in patients with depression: A cluster analysis. Psych J 2023; 12:452-460. [PMID: 36859636 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.635] [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: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with deficits in emotion experience, expression and regulation. Whilst emotion regulation deficits prolong MDD, emotion expression influences symptomatic presentations, and anticipatory pleasure deficits predict recurrence risk. Profiling MDD patients from an emotion componential perspective can characterize subtypes with different clinical and functional outcomes. This study aimed to investigate emotional subtypes of MDD. A two-stage cluster analysis applied to 150 MDD patients. Clustering variables included emotion experience measured by Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale, emotion expression measured by Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and emotion regulation measured by Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. We validated the resultant clusters by comparing their symptoms and functioning with that of 50 controls. Cluster 1 (n = 50) exhibited intact emotion experience and expression yet adopted reappraisal rather than suppression strategy, whereas Cluster 2 (n = 66) exhibited generalized emotional deficits. Cluster 3 (n = 34) exhibited emotion expression deficits and adopted both reappraisal and suppression strategies. On validation, Cluster 2 exhibited the worst, but Cluster 1 exhibited the least symptoms and social functioning impairments. Cluster 3 was intermediate among the two other subtypes. Our findings support the existence of different emotional subtypes in MDD patients, and have clinical and theoretical implications for developing future specific treatments for MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Y T Chan
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China
| | - Hui-Xin Hu
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Ling Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mandy K M Chan
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China
| | - Zoe T Y Ho
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China
| | - Koi-Man Cheng
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administration Region, China
| | - Simon S Y Lui
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Oussi A, Hamid K, Bouvet C. Managing emotions in panic disorder: A systematic review of studies related to emotional intelligence, alexithymia, emotion regulation, and coping. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2023; 79:101835. [PMID: 36680910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Panic disorder is defined by recurring and unexpected panic attacks, accompanied by anticipatory anxiety about future attacks and their consequences. This generally involves avoiding situations and behaviors that can produce panic attacks (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Among anxiety disorders, panic disorder is associated with some of the greatest burdens in terms of personal suffering, occupational disability, and societal cost. The objective of this article is to systematically identify and review the empirical literature on emotional management processes and strategies associated with panic disorder, with the aim of evaluating their role in the development and maintenance of panic disorder, in order to better understand the pathogenesis of the disorder and guide clinicians to improve their current treatments. METHODS Four databases were searched for studies which were based on self-reported questionnaires or a methodology based on an experimental procedure. RESULTS Of the 1719 articles identified, 61 referred to different aspects of emotional management. People living with PD are characterized by low emotional intelligence levels, excessive use of suppression, impaired cognitive reappraisal, high levels of alexithymia and maladaptive coping strategies. LIMITATIONS Most of the reviewed studies used measures of emotional management in cross-sectional models and were based on self-assessment reports. CONCLUSIONS Improving emotional intelligence levels is key to increasing emotion regulation flexibility for people living with PD. Automatic cognitive reappraisal impairment in these people indicates low importance of cognitive restructuring in psychotherapeutic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdellah Oussi
- CLIPSYD Research Unit, UFR SPSE, Paris Nanterre University, 200 avenue de la République, 92001, Nanterre Cedex, France.
| | | | - Cyrille Bouvet
- CLIPSYD Research Unit, UFR SPSE, Paris Nanterre University, 200 avenue de la République, 92001, Nanterre Cedex, France.
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Robin M, Surjous L, Belbèze J, Bonnardel L, Lamas C, Silva J, Peres V, Corcos M. Four attachment-based categories of emotion regulation in adolescent psychic troubles. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1133980. [PMID: 37275718 PMCID: PMC10237043 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1133980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emotion regulation is altered in many psychiatric disorders in adolescence, but the understanding of mechanisms that underlie this alteration is still poor. Methods The PERCEPT study explores alexithymia, empathy, facial emotion recognition (FER) and defence mechanisms in a sample of adolescents in psychiatric care (n = 61, 74% of girls, mean age = 15.03 y.o.), in relation with participants' attachment styles. Results Results revealed correlations between attachment dimensions and all of the emotion regulation variables, suggesting that attachment modalities have functional links with emotional regulation at its different levels: FER accuracy was inversely correlated with avoidant attachment, while affective empathy, difficulty in identifying feelings (alexithymia) and immature as well as neurotic defence mechanisms were positively correlated with anxious attachment. Moreover, attachment categories delineated distinct emotional perception profiles. In particular, preoccupied attachment included adolescents with the highest levels of facial emotion perception (sensitivity and accuracy) and of affective empathy, whereas detached attachment included adolescents with the lowest levels of these variables. Neurotic defence mechanisms and difficulty to identify feelings were correlated with preoccupied attachment; immature defence mechanisms and difficulty to describe feelings to others characterized fearful attachment. Discussion These results suggest that attachment categories underlie emotion regulation processes in psychiatric disorders in adolescence. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Robin
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
- CESP, INSERM U1178, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Luc Surjous
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Jean Belbèze
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Lucile Bonnardel
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
| | - Claire Lamas
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Silva
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
| | - Victoire Peres
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
| | - Maurice Corcos
- Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, Paris, France
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Preece DA, Mehta A, Petrova K, Sikka P, Bjureberg J, Chen W, Becerra R, Allan A, Robinson K, Gross JJ. The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S): A 6-item measure of alexithymia. J Affect Disord 2023; 325:493-501. [PMID: 36642314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia is a trait characterized by difficulties identifying feelings, difficulties describing feelings, and externally orientated thinking. It is widely regarded as an important transdiagnostic risk factor for a range of psychopathologies, including depressive and anxiety disorders. Whilst several well-validated psychometric measures of alexithymia exist, these are relatively lengthy, thus limiting their utility in time-pressured settings. In this paper, we address this gap by introducing and validating a brief 6-item version of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire, called the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S). METHOD Across two studies with adult samples (Study 1 N = 508 United States community; Study 2 = 378 Australian college students), we examined the psychometric properties of the PAQ-S in terms of its factor structure, reliability, and concurrent/criterion validity. RESULTS In exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, all PAQ-S items loaded well on a single general alexithymia factor. The PAQ-S total score had high reliability, and correlated as expected with the long-form of the PAQ, as well as other established markers of alexithymia, emotion regulation, and affective disorder symptoms. LIMITATIONS Our samples were general community or college student samples from two Western countries; future validation work in clinical samples and more diverse cultural groups is thus needed. CONCLUSIONS The PAQ-S retains the psychometric strengths of the PAQ. As such, the PAQ-S can be used as a quick, robust measure of overall alexithymia levels. The introduction of the PAQ-S hence enables valid assessments of alexithymia in a more diverse range of settings and research designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Preece
- Curtin University, Curtin enAble Institute, Perth, Australia; Curtin University, School of Population Health, Perth, Australia; University of Western Australia, School of Psychological Science, Perth, Australia.
| | - Ashish Mehta
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States
| | - Kate Petrova
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States
| | - Pilleriin Sikka
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States; University of Turku, Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Finland; University of Turku, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Finland; University of Skövde, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, Sweden
| | - Johan Bjureberg
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Sweden; Stockholm County Council, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wai Chen
- Curtin University, Curtin enAble Institute, Perth, Australia; Curtin University, Curtin Medical School, Perth, Australia; University of Western Australia, Graduate School of Education, Perth, Australia; University of Notre Dame Australia, School of Medicine, Perth, Australia; Murdoch University, Perth, Australia; Fiona Stanley Hospital, Mental Health Service, Perth, Australia
| | - Rodrigo Becerra
- University of Western Australia, School of Psychological Science, Perth, Australia
| | - Alfred Allan
- Edith Cowan University, School of Arts and Humanities, Perth, Australia
| | - Ken Robinson
- Edith Cowan University, School of Arts and Humanities, Perth, Australia
| | - James J Gross
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States
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Preece DA, Mehta A, Petrova K, Sikka P, Bjureberg J, Becerra R, Gross JJ. Alexithymia and emotion regulation. J Affect Disord 2023; 324:232-238. [PMID: 36566943 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.12.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia is a key transdiagnostic risk factor for emotion-based psychopathologies. Conceptual models specify that this is because alexithymia impairs emotion regulation. However, the extent of these putative emotion regulation impairments remains underexplored. Our aim in this study was to begin to address this gap by examining whether people with high, average, or low levels of alexithymia differ in the types of emotion regulation strategies they typically use. METHOD General community adults from the United States (N = 501) completed a battery of alexithymia and emotion regulation measures. Participants were grouped into high, average, and low alexithymia quantiles. RESULTS After controlling for demographics and current levels of distress, the high, average, and low alexithymia groups differed in their use of cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation strategies. Compared to the other groups, the high alexithymia group reported lesser use of generally adaptive regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, approaching problems, and seeking social support) and greater use of generally maladaptive regulation strategies (expressive suppression, behavioral withdrawal, ignoring). LIMITATIONS Our data were cross-sectional and from self-report questionnaires. Future work in other cultural groups would be beneficial. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the view that alexithymia is associated with impaired emotion regulation. In particular, people with high alexithymia seem to exhibit a less adaptive profile of emotion regulation strategies. Direct targeting of these emotion regulation patterns in psychotherapy may therefore be a useful pathway for the treatment of emotional disorder symptoms in people with high alexithymia.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Preece
- Curtin University, School of Population Health, Perth, Australia; Curtin University, Curtin enAble Institute, Perth, Australia; University of Western Australia, School of Psychological Science, Perth, Australia.
| | - Ashish Mehta
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States
| | - Kate Petrova
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States
| | - Pilleriin Sikka
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States; University of Turku, Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Finland; University of Turku, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Finland; University of Skövde, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, Sweden
| | - Johan Bjureberg
- Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Sweden
| | - Rodrigo Becerra
- University of Western Australia, School of Psychological Science, Perth, Australia
| | - James J Gross
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, United States
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Kenangil G, Demir M, Tur E, Domac F. Alexithymia, depression, and cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease. Acta Neurol Belg 2023; 123:85-91. [PMID: 33453039 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-020-01581-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Basal ganglia are connected to dorsal prefrontal and orbitofrontal structures, which have an important role in emotional experience. Alexithymia is defined as the inability to recognize and verbalize emotions. There is little known about alexithymia and cognitive dysfunction and its relationship with depression. In this study, we examined the relation of alexithymia with cognition and depression in non-demented patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). MATERIALS AND METHODS Fort-two consecutive non-demented patients PD and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The Turkish version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MOCA-TR), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) (F1, F2, F3 subgroups), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I) were used to evaluate cognitive functions, alexithymia, and depression, respectively, in both groups. RESULTS The total TAS-20 score was 55.71 ± 19 in the PD group and 46.33 ± 8.21 in the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in the total TAS-20 scores between the groups (p < 0.001). In subgroups of alexithymia, all mean scores of F1, F2, and F3 were higher in the PD group (p = 0.019, p < 0.001, and p = 0.005, respectively). In the MOCA-TR test, the mean scores in visuospatial and delayed recall of patients with PD were statistically lower than in the control group (p = 0.044 and p = 0.04, respectively). The MOCA-TR and BDI total scores were significantly correlated with TAS-20 total scores. In subgroup analysis, we only found an association between the visuospatial domain of MOCA-TR and the F3 subgroup of TAS-20 (r = - 0.22, p = 0.03). There was no relation between alexithymia and disease duration or total levodopa dose (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Alexithymia is not a rare symptom in PD. It should be accepted as an independent non-motor symptom, and patients should be interrogated accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulay Kenangil
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Mehmet Demir
- Department of Neurology, Agri Dr. Yasar Eryılmaz Dogubeyazıt State Hospital, Agri, Turkey
| | - Esma Tur
- Department of Neurology, Istanbul Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fusun Domac
- Department of Neurology, Istanbul Erenkoy Mental Health and Neurological Disorders Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
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Isaksson M, Holmbom Goh M, Ramklint M, Wolf-Arehult M. The Social Safeness and Pleasure Scale (SSPS): a psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version in a non-clinical sample and two clinical samples with eating disorders or borderline personality disorder. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:311. [PMID: 36527142 PMCID: PMC9756562 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-01020-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social safeness and pleasure refer to the extent to which people experience their world as safe, warm, and soothing. Difficulties in achieving social safeness have been identified as a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor for developing and maintaining psychopathology and for feeling less contentment and self-compassion. The study aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Social Safeness and Pleasure Scale (SSPS). METHODS The SSPS was evaluated in a non-clinical sample of 407 participants. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SSPS were explored and a confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Convergent validity was studied based on the assumption of negative correlations with the personality traits detachment and mistrust, derived from the Swedish Universities Scale of Personality. Divergent validity was studied based on the assumption of no or small correlations with impulsiveness and adventure-seeking-personality traits not assumed to be related to social safeness. Validity was also investigated by comparing the SSPS results in the non-clinical sample with those in two clinical groups of patients diagnosed with either borderline personality disorder (BPD; n = 58) or eating disorders (n = 103), recruited from two psychiatric outpatient clinics. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a one-factor structure. Cronbach's alpha was 0.95 and test-retest reliability was 0.92. Validity was supported by moderate to strong negative correlations between the SSPS and the detachment and mistrust scales and no or small correlations with the impulsiveness and adventure-seeking scales in a personality questionnaire. Finally, we found significantly lower mean values on the SSPS in the clinical groups compared with the non-clinical group, with the lowest mean in the BPD sample. CONCLUSIONS The results showed good to excellent psychometric properties for the Swedish version of the SSPS, supporting its use in both clinical practice and research. Future research could use the SSPS when evaluating interventions aimed at improving the ability to develop social safeness, such as compassion-focused therapy or radically open dialectical behavior therapy, interventions that may be particularly important in BPD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Isaksson
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Entrance 10, Floor 3B, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria Holmbom Goh
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Entrance 10, Floor 3B, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mia Ramklint
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Entrance 10, Floor 3B, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martina Wolf-Arehult
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Entrance 10, Floor 3B, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden ,grid.425979.40000 0001 2326 2191Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Li J, Jiang W, Zhu R, Fan F, Fu F, Wei D, Tang S, Tian Y, Chen J, Li Y, Zhou H, Wang L, Wang D, Zhang XY. Depression in Chinese men with methamphetamine dependence: Prevalence, correlates and relationship with alexithymia. J Affect Disord 2022; 319:235-243. [PMID: 36162653 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The comorbidity between substance use disorder and major depressive disorder is a typical dual diagnosis in the field of substance addiction. However, the prevalence and correlates of depression in methamphetamine addicts and whether it is associated with drug craving and alexithymia have been rarely reported in the Chinese population. METHODS We recruited 585 methamphetamine-dependent males from a drug rehabilitation center in China and 203 healthy controls. Demographic and drug use data were collected. Depression was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N·I.). Methamphetamine cravings and alexithymia were assessed using the Desire for Drugs Questionnaire (DDQ) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS). RESULTS The prevalence rate of depression in methamphetamine-dependent men was 16.58 % (97/585). The scores of DDQ desire and intention, DDQ negative reinforcement, total DDQ, difficulty identifying feelings (DIF), difficulty describing feelings (DDF), and total TAS score of depressed patients were higher than those of non-depressed patients. However, only DDQ negative reinforcement score, DIF, DDF, and total TAS score remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Additionally, logistic regression analysis found that age, DIF score, and DDQ negative reinforcement score were significant factors contributing to depression in methamphetamine-dependent men. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the prevalence of depression is significantly higher in methamphetamine-dependent men than in the healthy Chinese population. Furthermore, age, components of alexithymia and drug craving are risk factors for depression in methamphetamine addicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rongrong Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fusheng Fan
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | - Fabing Fu
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | - Dejun Wei
- Xin Hua Drug Rehabilitation Center, Sichuan, China
| | | | - Yang Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiajing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huixia Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dongmei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiang-Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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11
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Schnabel K, Petzke TM, Witthöft M. The emotion regulation process in somatic symptom disorders and related conditions - A systematic narrative review. Clin Psychol Rev 2022; 97:102196. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Tang WC, Lin MP, Wu JYW, Lee YT, You J. Mediating role of depression in the association between alexithymia and nonsuicidal self-injury in a representative sample of adolescents in Taiwan. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:43. [PMID: 35705987 PMCID: PMC9202208 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-022-00477-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nock's (2009) integrated theoretical model suggests that specific intrapersonal vulnerability factors caused by distal risk factors contribute to the development of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Alexithymia and depression have been found to predict NSSI. Based on Nock's model, alexithymia plays a distal risk factor role to increase the risk of depression-an intrapersonal vulnerability factor-and further increase the risk of NSSI. However, small or unrepresentative samples in past studies limit the generalizability of the results. This study examined the roles of depression and alexithymia in predicting NSSI, as well as the mediating effect of depression in the relation between alexithymia and NSSI in a large representative sample of adolescents in Taiwan. METHODS Using a cross-sectional study design, a large representative sample of 2,170 senior high school students in Taiwan was assessed by self-report measures of alexithymia, depression, and NSSI. Mediation analyses were performed to examine whether the relation between alexithymia and NSSI was mediated by depression. The questionnaires were administered in classrooms. RESULTS Results showed that alexithymia positively predicted NSSI (β = 0.23, p < .001) and depression can also positively predict NSSI (β = 0.41, p < .001). Additionally, the association between alexithymia and NSSI was fully mediated by depression. CONCLUSIONS This study data provided evidence for the mediating role of depression between alexithymia and NSSI, which can be explained by Nock's (2009) integrated theoretical model. The implications of the findings for future research and intervention were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ching Tang
- grid.412090.e0000 0001 2158 7670Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, No.162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Rd., Da-an District, 106 Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Min-Pei Lin
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, No.162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Rd., Da-an District, 106, Taipei City, Taiwan.
| | - Jo Yung-Wei Wu
- Good-Day Psychology Clinic, 5F., No. 167, Xialin Rd., South District, 702 Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Ting Lee
- grid.412120.40000 0004 0639 002XDepartment of Counseling and Guidance, National University of Tainan, No.33, Sec. 2, Shu- Lin St, 700 Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jianing You
- grid.263785.d0000 0004 0368 7397Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), & School of Psychology, Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, 510631 Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Sallay V, Martos T, Lucza L, Weiland A, Stegers-Jager KM, Vermeir P, Mariman ANM, Csabai M. Medical educators' experiences on medically unexplained symptoms and intercultural communication-an expert focus group study. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:310. [PMID: 35461231 PMCID: PMC9034474 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03275-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are highly prevalent and remain challenging in healthcare and medical education, along with the increase in the importance of intercultural issues regarding MUS. However, less is known about the challenges of professionally addressing patients with MUS in the interprofessional and intercultural contexts. Thus, the present study aims to provide the first exploration of the experiences of medical specialists regarding treating MUS in intercultural contexts and inputs for training development on the intercultural aspects of MUS. METHODS Three focus groups (total n = 13) consisting of medical specialists from a Hungarian university who were teaching at the medical faculty in intercultural settings and also worked for the university health services were interviewed. The topics covered the participants' personal experiences on addressing MUS and the challenges of intercultural communication and the intercultural educational context. Thematic analysis was used to yield a qualitative account of the interviews as guided by the research questions. RESULTS Representing the different aspects of medical specialists, the study identified three main themes in the experiences of medical specialists, namely, 1) the need to adapt to the personal world of patients and search for common frames to understand MUS, 2) the need to discover methods for adapting to cultural differences and 3) the need to enhance the interprofessional coordination of knowledge and practices. CONCLUSIONS The results are in line with the distinct conclusions of previous studies. Moreover, an integrated educational program on the intercultural aspects of MUS may address the main themes separately and, subsequently, support their integration. Therefore, the study discusses the manner in which an integrated educational program on the intercultural aspects of MUS may address the needs recognized in these aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Sallay
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Egyetem u. 2, 6722, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Tamás Martos
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Egyetem u. 2, 6722, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Lilla Lucza
- Doctoral School of Education, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Anne Weiland
- Department for Internal Medicine & General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Vermeir
- Faculty of Medicine and Healthcare sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - An Noelle Margareta Mariman
- Faculty of Medicine and Healthcare sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Ghent University Hospital, Center for Integrative Medicine, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Márta Csabai
- Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, Egyetem u. 2, 6722, Szeged, Hungary
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Ozdemir YO, Ergelen M, Ozen B, Akgul IF, Bestepe EE. Alexithymia and Parental Bonding in Women with Genitopelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:3023-3033. [PMID: 36582426 PMCID: PMC9793779 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s389008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The role of emotion regulation and alexithymia in the pathophysiology of genitopelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD) is emphasized. Parental bonding is linked to emotion regulation and alexithymia. This study aimed to examine the relationships between parental bonding, alexithymia, and GPPPD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty-four patients with GPPPD were enrolled in the study, and 60 controls were matched for demographic features. Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was used to evaluate alexithymia, the Bonding to Parents Scale (BPS) was used to assess parental bonding, and sexual functions were assessed via Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). RESULTS The rate of alexithymic traits was statistically higher in the GPPPD group than in the controls (p = 0.005). Patients with GPPPD obtained higher scores on the maternal care/control (p = 0.003) and maternal overprotection (p = 0.008) compared to controls. Difficulty describing feelings factor of alexithymia (p = 0.012) emerged as a predictor of group membership (GPPPD vs controls). To test whether alexithymia was significantly associated with parental bonding, all subjects were divided into two subgroups, alexithymic and non-alexithymic. When the subgroups were compared in terms of parental attitudes, maternal (p = 0.034) and paternal (p = 0.006) overprotection subscale scores were higher in the alexithymic group than in the non-alexithymic group. DISCUSSION According to the results, alexithymic traits are characteristic of patients with GPPPD; however, although patients with GPPPD may experience difficulties with perceived parental bonding, this factor does not appear to be a predictor of GPPPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Ozay Ozdemir
- University of Health Sciences, Erenkoy Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mine Ergelen
- University of Health Sciences, Erenkoy Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Beliz Ozen
- Marmara University, Pendik Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - E Emrem Bestepe
- University of Health Sciences, Erenkoy Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
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Cetin S, Sozeri Varma G, Toker Ugurlu T, Ozdel IO. Theory of Mind in Somatization and Depression: Is It Cause or Phenomenon? J Nerv Ment Dis 2021; 209:911-917. [PMID: 34310521 DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0000000000001399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Although mentalization is important in somatic symptom disorder (SSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), it is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation between somatic and depressive symptoms with mentalization. A total of 48 patients diagnosed with SSD, 50 patients diagnosed with MDD, and 50 healthy individuals, participated the study. The Montgomery-Asperg Depression Scale, Symptom Checklist-90 Revised, and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) were applied to the participants. The patients with SSD showed significantly the lowest performance of theory of mind. There was no significant difference between MDD and healthy controls. High somatization score was found to be a predictor for low RMET scores (95% confidence interval, -0.339; p = 0.014). Mentalization deficit seems to be associated with somatization rather than depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gulfizar Sozeri Varma
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Tugce Toker Ugurlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Ismail Osman Ozdel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
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Vermeir P, Mariman A, Lucza L, Sallay V, Weiland A, Stegers‐Jager KM, Vogelaers D. Epidemiology and organisation of care in medically unexplained symptoms: A systematic review with a focus on cultural diversity and migrants. Int J Clin Pract 2021; 75:e14855. [PMID: 34516726 PMCID: PMC9285020 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.14855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the pathophysiology of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) remains unclear, healthcare providers often struggle with these patients, especially with a different ethnic and/or cultural background. These challenges are insufficiently addressed in their training and in the organisation of care. AIM To improve healthcare provider-patient interaction focused on MUS patients in general and in ethnic minorities and refugees in particular through a systematic review of syndromal definitions and epidemiology and organisation of care of MUS patients. METHODS Screening of PubMed, Web of Science, Cinahl and Cochrane Library on the keywords 'Medical unexplained (physical) symptoms (MUPS)', 'Somatoform disorder', 'Functional syndrome', 'Diversity', 'Migrants', 'Ethnicity', 'Care models', 'Medical education', 'Communication skills', 'Health literacy'. RESULTS Different case definitions result in markedly different epidemiological estimates for MUS patients. Nevertheless, they are prevalent in a wide range of healthcare settings. Literature offers evidence of the effectiveness of structural frameworks in approaching MUS patients. Organisation of MUS care needs to transcend different levels of care: specialist tertiary and secondary care and primary care involving different qualifications of caregivers need to be aligned. CONCLUSION The systematic review identified significant gaps and shortcomings in organisation of care. These need to be addressed in order to improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Vermeir
- Ghent University/Ghent University HospitalGentBelgium
| | - An Mariman
- Ghent University/Ghent University HospitalGentBelgium
| | - Lilla Lucza
- Doctoral School of EducationUniversity of SzegedSzegedHungary
| | - Viola Sallay
- Institute of PsychologyUniversity of SzegedSzegedHungary
| | - Anne Weiland
- Erasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Dirk Vogelaers
- Ghent University/Ghent University HospitalGentBelgium
- AZ Delta RoeselareRoeselareBelgium
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17
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Koparal B, Gürlek B, Hocaoğlu Ç, Polat S. Levels of anxiety sensitivity, somatosensory amplification and alexithymia in patients with unexplained infertility. Int J Clin Pract 2021; 75:e14761. [PMID: 34455676 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.14761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to focus on the psychological aspect of unexplained infertility by comparing their psychological features to those of infertile patients with a known causes and fertile patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty unexplained infertility patients, 50 infertile patients with a known cause and 56 fertile patients were included in the study. Patients were evaluated using socio-demographic data form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SAS) and Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-3). RESULTS No significant differences in the levels of alexithymia, somatosensory amplification and anxiety sensitivity were detected between the groups (P > .05). When the correlation of clinical scale scores with each other was analysed in the whole group of infertile patients regardless of the cause, a weak positive correlation was found between anxiety sensitivity and difficulty in identifying feelings. CONCLUSION In our study, it has been found out that; regardless of the knowledge of the aetiology of infertility, the levels of alexithymia, somatosensory amplification and anxiety sensitivity of infertile cases did not differ from those of fertile women. However, it has been shown that as the difficulty in identifying emotions increases in infertile cases, anxiety sensitivity, which may cause psychological infertility, also increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buket Koparal
- Department of Psychiatry, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital, Rize, Turkey
| | - Beril Gürlek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital, Rize, Turkey
| | - Çiçek Hocaoğlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital, Rize, Turkey
| | - Selim Polat
- Department of Psychiatry, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital, Rize, Turkey
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Facial Emotion Recognition Predicts Alexithymia Using Machine Learning. COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 2021:2053795. [PMID: 34621306 PMCID: PMC8492233 DOI: 10.1155/2021/2053795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective Alexithymia, as a fundamental notion in the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, is characterized by deficits in emotional processing and, consequently, difficulties in emotion recognition. Traditional tools for assessing alexithymia, which include interviews and self-report measures, have led to inconsistent results due to some limitations as insufficient insight. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to propose a new screening tool that utilizes machine learning models based on the scores of facial emotion recognition task. Method In a cross-sectional study, 55 students of the University of Tabriz were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and their scores in the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Then, they completed the somatization subscale of Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the facial emotion recognition (FER) task. Afterwards, support vector machine (SVM) and feedforward neural network (FNN) classifiers were implemented using K-fold cross validation to predict alexithymia, and the model performance was assessed with the area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1-measure. Results The models yielded an accuracy range of 72.7–81.8% after feature selection and optimization. Our results suggested that ML models were able to accurately distinguish alexithymia and determine the most informative items for predicting alexithymia. Conclusion Our results show that machine learning models using FER task, SCL-90-R, BDI-II, and BAI could successfully diagnose alexithymia and also represent the most influential factors of predicting it and can be used as a clinical instrument to help clinicians in diagnosis process and earlier detection of the disorder.
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Suicide probability in psychiatric patients' primary caregivers: The role of care burden, alexithymia and some risk factors. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 2021; 35:457-464. [PMID: 34561059 DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2021.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although suicidal ideation seems to be related with both burden of care and alexithymia, there is no study investigating the correlation between these factors and suicide probability in informal caregivers of psychiatric patients in the literature. AIM In this study, it was aimed to determine the suicide probability in psychiatric patients' primary caregivers, and to evaluate the effects of care burden, alexithymia and some risk factors on suicide probability. METHODS This study was conducted with 262 caregivers between February 2019 and December 2019. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Suicide Probability Scale, Zarit Burden Interview, Toronto Alexithymia Scale. RESULTS The mean score the caregivers obtained from the Suicide Probability Scale was 79.75 ± 59.29, and 17.9% of them were at risk for suicide. Also, caregivers' suicide probability was related to variables such as caregivers' sex, economic status, presence of any disease, duration of care, and patients' education level, psychiatric diagnosis, duration of illness, presence of physical illness, compliance with treatment. In addition, caregivers' burden and alexithymia levels were significantly associated with the participating caregivers' suicide probability. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that approximately one out of every five caregivers was at risk for suicide. Therefore, hospital and community-based intervention strategies to support caregivers should be developed.
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20
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Sexual response in obsessive-compulsive disorder: the role of obsessive beliefs. CNS Spectr 2021; 26:528-537. [PMID: 32665050 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852920001649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual response in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) research and practice is overlooked. According to the Dual Control Model, satisfactory sexual response is based upon a balance of sexual excitation and inhibition. The assessment of sexual response in OCD may have clinical implications, such as the integration of sex therapy in psychotherapeutic intervention. The present study was aimed at comparing sexual excitation and inhibition levels between OCD patients and matched control subjects, and investigating whether obsessive beliefs might predict sexual excitation/inhibition. METHODS Seventy-two OCD patients (mean age ± standard deviation [SD]: 34.50 ± 10.39 years) and 72 matched control subjects (mean age ± SD: 34.25 ± 10.18) were included (62.50% men and 37.50% women in both groups). The Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire-46 (OBQ-46), and the Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES) were administered. RESULTS Patients with OCD showed significantly higher levels of sexual excitation, inhibition due to threat of performance failure, and inhibition due to threat of performance consequences than the controls. In addition, the patients with more severe symptoms showed lower excitation than those with less severe symptoms, and those with higher perfectionism had stronger inhibition due to threat of performance failure than those with lower perfectionism. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study exploring sexual response in OCD according to the Dual Control Model. Sexual response is an impaired quality of life outcome in OCD that should be assessed in routine clinical practice. These findings support the importance of addressing specific obsessive beliefs to improve sexuality in OCD patients.
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Reicher-Atir R, Avnat-Becker L, Levy S, Sperber AD, Dickman R. Psychological defense mechanisms and use of corporeal discourse: a comparison between patients with irritable bowel syndrome, medical personnel and healthy volunteers. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 33:514-521. [PMID: 32956177 DOI: 10.1097/meg.0000000000001940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the use of psychological defense mechanisms and corporeal discourse among patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), medical personnel and healthy volunteers. METHODS All participants completed an identical battery of questionnaires: a demographic questionnaire, the Corporeal Discourse Questionnaire, the Defense Style Questionnaire and a Visual Analogue Scale for situational anxiety and depression. Patients and medical personnel were recruited from the Rabin Medical Center, a tertiary university-affiliated hospital. Findings were analyzed according to the study variables and compared among the groups. RESULTS Questionnaires were completed by 40 patients with IBS, 39 medical personnel and 40 healthy volunteers. Correlations between the study variables within the entire study group (all study participants, N = 119) revealed that corporeal discourse was found to be significantly correlated with the immature and neurotic class of defense mechanisms (r = 0.41, P < 0.01 and r = 0.20, P < 0.05, respectively), depression (r = 0.46, P < 0.05) and anxiety (r = 0.46, P < 0.05). Differences between IBS and the other two groups were significant for corporeal discourse, depression, anxiety and use of immature defense mechanisms. Posthoc analyses showed that medical personnel differed from IBS patients in all of these measures. Healthy volunteers had an inconsistent pattern of differences from the other two groups. CONCLUSION Maturity level of defense mechanisms and the tendency to use corporeal discourse are expressed among IBS patients in a diverse and unique manner. These findings may indicate additional psychological mechanisms that could explain the use of somatic complaints in IBS and support the implementation of tailored psychological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Reicher-Atir
- Statistics Education Unit, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv-Yaffo
| | - Lee Avnat-Becker
- Statistics Education Unit, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv-Yaffo
| | - Sigal Levy
- Statistics Education Unit, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv-Yaffo
| | - Ami D Sperber
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva
| | - Ram Dickman
- Division of Gastroenterology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Pozza A, Casale S, Marazziti D, Albert U, Mucci F, Berti E, Grassi G, Prestia D, Dèttore D. Attachment styles and propensity for sexual response in adult obsessive-compulsive disorder. SEXUAL AND RELATIONSHIP THERAPY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/14681994.2021.1900805] [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: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pozza
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Silvia Casale
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Donatella Marazziti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- UniCamillus - Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Umberto Albert
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Federico Mucci
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Erika Berti
- School of Psychology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Davide Prestia
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Infant-Maternal Science, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Davide Dèttore
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Abstract
Humans are highly adept at differentiating, regulating, and responding to their emotions. At the core of all these functions is emotional awareness: the conscious feeling states that are central to human mental life. Disrupted emotional awareness-a subclinical construct commonly referred to as alexithymia-is present in a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders and can have a deleterious impact on functional outcomes and treatment response. This chapter is a selective review of the current state of the science on alexithymia. We focus on two separate but related issues: (i) the functional deficits associated with alexithymia and what they reveal about the importance of emotional awareness for shaping normative human functioning, and (ii) the neural correlates of alexithymia and what they can inform us about the biological bases of emotional awareness. Lastly, we outline challenges and opportunities for alexithymia research, focusing on measurement issues and the potential utility of formal computational models of emotional awareness for advancing the fields of clinical and affective science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Hogeveen
- Department of Psychology and Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain Injury Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States; Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, and Psychiatry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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ÜSTÜNDAĞ M, ŞEN GÖKÇEİMAM P. An investigation of Temperament, Character, and Alexithymia in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. FAMILY PRACTICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE 2020. [DOI: 10.22391/fppc.756632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Association Between Alexithymia and Immature Coping Styles Is Mediated by Self-Inconsistency and Is Correlated to Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms. J Nerv Ment Dis 2020; 208:377-386. [PMID: 31977717 DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0000000000001133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether a multivariate association between alexithymia and coping styles is affected by self-inconsistency and whether the association contributed to obsessive-compulsive symptoms in 34 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and 53 healthy participants. Alexithymia, coping styles, self-inconsistency, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were evaluated using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, the Coping Style Questionnaire, the Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale, and the Vancouver Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, respectively. We found that self-inconsistency partially mediated the association between alexithymia and immature coping styles in the OCD patients but fully mediated the association in the healthy participants. Moreover, in the two groups, the alexithymia-coping coupling was related to contamination, obsession, indecisiveness, and ritualization, but not the checking symptom dimension. The findings suggest that the disturbance in identifying and describing feelings is associated with immature coping styles through disharmony between self-recognition and experience. The mechanism of the checking symptom seems to be distinct from other obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
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Förster K, Enneking V, Dohm K, Redlich R, Meinert S, Geisler AI`, Leehr EJ, Kugel H, Baune BT, Arolt V, Zwitserlood P, Grotegerd D, Dannlowski U. Brain structural correlates of alexithymia in patients with major depressive disorder. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2020; 45:117-124. [PMID: 31603638 PMCID: PMC7828911 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.190044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia is a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD) and has been associated with diminished treatment response. Neuroimaging studies have revealed structural aberrations of the anterior cingulate cortex and the fusiform gyrus in healthy controls with high levels of alexithymia. The present study tried to corroborate and extend these results to patients with MDD compared with healthy controls. METHODS We investigated the relationship between alexithymia, depression and grey matter volume in 63 patients with MDD (mean age ± standard deviation = 42.43 yr ± 11.91; 33 female) and 46 healthy controls (45.35 yr ± 8.37; 22 female). We assessed alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. We conducted an alexithymia × group analysis of covariance; we used a region-of-interest approach, including the fusiform gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, and conducted whole brain analysis using voxelbased morphometry. RESULTS Our analysis revealed a significant alexithymia × group interaction in the fusiform gyrus (left, pFWE = 0.031; right, pFWE = 0.010). Higher alexithymia scores were associated with decreased grey matter volume in patients with MDD (pFWE = 0.009), but with increased grey matter volume of the fusiform gyrus in healthy controls (pFWE = 0.044). We found no significant main effects in the region-of-interest analysis. LIMITATIONS Owing to the naturalistic nature of our study, patients with MDD and healthy controls differed significantly in their alexithymia scores. CONCLUSION Our results showed the fusiform gyrus as a correlate of alexithymia. We also found differences related to alexithymia between patients with MDD and healthy controls in the fusiform gyrus. Our study encourages research related to the transition from risk to MDD in people with alexithymia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Förster
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Verena Enneking
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Katharina Dohm
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Ronny Redlich
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Susanne Meinert
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Adina Isabel ` Geisler
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Elisabeth Johanna Leehr
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Harald Kugel
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Bernhard T. Baune
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Volker Arolt
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Pienie Zwitserlood
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Dominik Grotegerd
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Förster, Enneking, Dohm, Redlich, Meinert, Geisler, Leehr, Baune, Arolt, Grotegerd, Dannlowski); the Institute of Clinical Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Kugel); the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune); the Department of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany (Zwitserlood); and the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia (Baune)
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Bergman MA, Vissers CTWM, Collard RM, van Eijndhoven P, Schene AH, Vrijsen JN. The Effect of Alexithymia on Attentional Bias Toward Emotional Stimuli in Depression: An Eye-Tracking Study. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:569946. [PMID: 33679459 PMCID: PMC7925401 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.569946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alexithymia-reflecting deficits in cognitive emotion processing-is highly prevalent in individuals with depressive disorders. Subsequently, mixed evidence for attentional bias is found in these individuals. Alexithymia may be a potential influencing factor for attentional bias in depression. In the current study, 83 currently depressed (CD) and 76 never-depressed (ND) controls completed an eye-tracker task consisting of valenced (non)-social pictures. Alexithymia scores were also included as a moderator as both a continuous and categorical measure (so high vs. low alexithymia). No group difference or moderating effect of alexithymia was found on attentional bias. Thus, alexithymic symptoms, included both dimensionally and categorically, may not influence biased attentional processing in depression compared to ND individuals. Thus, it is important to explore other potential explaining factors for the equivocal results found on biased attentional processing of emotional information in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Annemiek Bergman
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Constance Th W M Vissers
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Radboud University Nijmegen, Behavioural Science Institute, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rose M Collard
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Philip van Eijndhoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Aart H Schene
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Janna N Vrijsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Pro Persona Mental Health Care, Depression Expertise Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Abstract
Suicide is a leading cause of death in patients with schizophrenia. Previous studies have mostly investigated the association between suicide and sociodemographics, positive and negative symptoms, and depressive symptoms. This study evaluated psychache and alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia, which have both been associated with suicide attempts and thoughts in patients with other psychiatric disorders. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Psychache Scale (PAS), Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) scores were obtained in 113 patients with schizophrenia, including 50 with suicide attempts. PANSS positive symptoms and general psychopathology subscale, CDSS, BSSI, TAS, and PAS scores were significantly higher in patients with suicide attempts. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the PAS score was an independent predictor of attempted suicide. Mediation analysis demonstrated that psychache (both directly and indirectly) and alexithymia (indirectly) might be associated with the risk of suicide in these patients.
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Conti C, Di Francesco G, Lanzara R, Severo M, Fumagalli L, Guagnano MT, Porcelli P. Alexithymia and binge eating in obese outpatients who are starting a weight‐loss program: A structural equation analysis. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2019; 27:628-640. [DOI: 10.1002/erv.2696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Conti
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial SciencesUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
| | - Giulia Di Francesco
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial SciencesUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
| | - Roberta Lanzara
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial SciencesUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology“Sapienza” University of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Melania Severo
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial SciencesUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
| | - Luna Fumagalli
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial SciencesUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Guagnano
- Department of Medicine and AgingUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
| | - Piero Porcelli
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial SciencesUniversity “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti‐Pescara Chieti Italy
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Henker J, Keller A, Reiss N, Siepmann M, Croy I, Weidner K. Early maladaptive schemas in patients with somatoform disorders and somatization. Clin Psychol Psychother 2019; 26:418-429. [PMID: 30836437 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Maladaptive schemas are stable relational patterns that develop through harmful childhood experiences with primary caregivers. Schemas within somatoform disorders are rarely explored even though these disorders are clinically important due to high prevalence, co-morbidity, and cost for the health care system. This study investigates schemas according to Young's schema theory in patients with somatoform disorders in comparison with healthy controls and patients with depressive or anxiety disorders. Further associations between schemas and somatization were explored. We included 134 patients with a somatoform disorder and 39 age-matched healthy controls, 83 patients with a unipolar depression, and 34 patients with an anxiety disorder. The clinical sample consists of day care patients, diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, but without a personality disorder. Primary measures were the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S2), the Screening for Somatoform Disorders (SOMS-7T), the Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Analyses of variance indicated that somatoform patients scored higher on almost all schemas than do healthy controls (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.148). The highest mean scores were reached for the schemas "self-sacrifice" and "unrelenting standards," with significant higher values in the patient sample. However, when compared with patients with depressive or anxiety disorders, somatoform patients scored equally or even lower. High somatization was associated with generally higher schema activation. This effect was to a great extent mediated by depressive symptoms. Only the schema "vulnerability to harm or illness" was exclusively related to somatization. These findings suggest that schemas should be systematically assessed within psychotherapy of somatoform patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Henker
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrea Keller
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Neele Reiss
- Institute for Psychotherapy in Mainz (ipsti-mz), Mainz, Germany
| | - Martin Siepmann
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Psychosomatic Clinic, Rhön-Klinikum AG, Bad Neustadt, Germany
| | - Ilona Croy
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Hemming L, Taylor P, Haddock G, Shaw J, Pratt D. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between alexithymia and suicide ideation and behaviour. J Affect Disord 2019; 254:34-48. [PMID: 31103905 PMCID: PMC6599888 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia reflects a difficulty with identifying and expressing emotions. This experience has been proposed as having an association with suicide ideation and behaviour. This review aimed to synthesise the evidence to establish the bivariate and multivariate relationships between alexithymia, and its subcomponents, with suicide ideation and behaviour. METHODS Search terms related to alexithymia and suicide ideation and behaviour were searched across nine prominent databases in May 2018. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported original empirical quantitative findings from adult samples, used a validated measure of alexithymia, and any measure of suicide ideation or behaviour. RESULTS Thirty-four studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. The review found a large effect size for the relationship between alexithymia and suicide ideation (r = 0.54, 95% CI= 0.40-0.65) and a small effect size for the relationship between alexithymia and suicide behaviour (r = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.16-0.34). LIMITATIONS A high level of heterogeneity was found in the meta-analysis meaning that results should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSION A positive association was found between alexithymia and suicide ideation and, to a lesser extent, behaviour across a range of clinical and general population samples. This review has potentially important clinical implications, and promotes the need for suicide prevention to focus on emotion regulation skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hemming
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK; Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK.
| | - Peter Taylor
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK; Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Gillian Haddock
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK; Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK; Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Jennifer Shaw
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK; Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK; Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Daniel Pratt
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK; Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK; Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
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Davoodi E, Wen A, Dobson KS, Noorbala AA, Mohammadi A, Farahmand Z. Emotion Regulation Strategies in Depression and Somatization Disorder. Psychol Rep 2018; 122:2119-2136. [PMID: 30304997 DOI: 10.1177/0033294118799731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Scant research has investigated emotion regulation strategies in somatization disorder, despite its high comorbidity with depression and the growing interest in this topic in depression. The present study investigated emotion regulation strategies in patients with major depression and somatization disorder using clinical samples to examine common vulnerability factors and to provide evidence for difficulties in emotion regulation as transdiagnostic factors in these disorders. Patients with major depressive disorder ( n = 30) and patients with somatization disorder ( n = 30) completed measures of putatively adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategy use. Patients with somatization disorder showed higher scores on measures of regulatory strategies, as measured by the sum of adaptive strategies in the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire as well as the following subscales: positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, and refocusing on a plan. After controlling for levels of current depression, the significant effects remained for positive refocusing. Depression symptom severity was significantly and negatively correlated with most adaptive strategies and positively correlated with most maladaptive strategies. The current results provide preliminary data for a similar pattern of adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies usage in these two disorders. The results also contribute to theories of psychopathology and our understanding of critical cognitive and emotional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Davoodi
- Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | | | | | - Ahmad A Noorbala
- Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Mohammadi
- Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
| | - Zahra Farahmand
- Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
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34
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Preece D, Becerra R, Robinson K, Dandy J, Allan A. The psychometric assessment of alexithymia: Development and validation of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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35
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Shim EJ, Park A, Park SP. The relationship between alexithymia and headache impact: the role of somatization and pain catastrophizing. Qual Life Res 2018; 27:2283-2294. [PMID: 29869297 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-018-1894-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study compared psychological factors (i.e., alexithymia, somatization, pain catastrophizing (PC), anxiety, and depression) and QOL for headache patients and headache-free individuals, and examined whether somatization and PC mediate the relationship between alexithymia and headache impact in headache patients. METHODS Study participants consisted of 123 headache patients from an outpatient clinic at a university hospital and 124 headache-free individuals in Daegu, Korea. The survey employed the somatization and anxiety subscales of the Symptom Checklist-90-revised, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Short-Form Health survey-8 (SF-8), and the Headache Impact Test-6. RESULTS Headache patients showed a higher level of all psychological factors and lower level of two summary scores (physical and mental health) as well as the seven dimensions of the SF-8 compared with headache-free individuals. Examination employing the SPSS Process macro found that the direct effect of alexithymia on headache impact was not significant after controlling for somatization and PC. The total indirect effects of alexithymia on headache impact were significant without anxiety and depression as covariates with the significant indirect effects of alexithymia on headache impact via somatization or via PC as well as via somatization and PC. However, after controlling for anxiety and depression, PC was the only significant pathway through which alexithymia was related to headache impact. CONCLUSIONS Headache patients may benefit from interventions aiming at improving psychological factors in order to improve the functioning and QOL of headache patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Jung Shim
- Department of Psychology, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram Park
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Pa Park
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 680 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea.
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36
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Tang HS, Chen PF, Lung FW. Personality and Alexithymic Disparity in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Based on Washing and Checking. Psychiatr Q 2018; 89:371-381. [PMID: 29038990 DOI: 10.1007/s11126-017-9541-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate pathway relationship of personality characteristics and alexithymic traits in OCD symptoms of obsession, and compulsive behavior of washing and checking. Two-hundred and seventy patients diagnosed with OCD were consecutively recruited from the psychiatric outpatient department of a teaching hospital. Structural equation modeling showed those more neurotic, less extraverted and with higher levels of alexithymia difficulty identifying feelings (DIF), difficulty describing feelings (DDF) and externally oriented thinking (EOT) were more likely to develop obsessive thoughts. Those less extraverted was more prone to develop washing compulsions, and those more neurotic were more likely to develop checking compulsions. EOT was the only alexithymic trait to have no gender difference within this group of patients with OCDs. The different personality and alexithymic trait pathways found between OCD obsession, washing and checking symptoms provide support that they may be different subtypes within the OCD diagnosis. Obsession was associated with washing, but not checking. Furthermore, no gender difference was found between the obsession and compulsive symptoms. Extraversion and neuroticism can be used to differentiate washing and checking, and alexithymia to differentiate washing and obsessions. This should be taken into consideration for intervention targeting patients with different OCD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwa-Sheng Tang
- Songde Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Fei Chen
- Calo Psychiatric Center, No.12-200, Jinhua Rd., Xinpi Township, Pingtung County, 925, Taiwan
| | - For-Wey Lung
- Calo Psychiatric Center, No.12-200, Jinhua Rd., Xinpi Township, Pingtung County, 925, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Durukan İ, Kara K, Almbaideen M, Karaman D, Gül H. Alexithymia, depression and anxiety in parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorder: Comparative study of autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Pediatr Int 2018; 60:247-253. [PMID: 29290095 DOI: 10.1111/ped.13510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown that individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and their relatives have problems expressing and recognizing emotions, but there is a lack of studies on alexithymia, and the relationship between parental alexithymia and depression-anxiety symptoms in these groups. The aim of this study was therefore to measure alexithymia, depression, and anxiety levels in parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and determine whether there is a positive correlation between the child's neurodevelopmental problem severity and parent scores. METHODS Parents of 29 autistic disorder (AD), 28 pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and 29 ADHD children were recruited into the study, and completed a demographic information form, as well as the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS Alexithymia symptoms were higher in parents of children with AD than in others but unexpectedly, also these symptoms were higher in ADHD parents than in PDD-NOS groups. In addition, there were unexpected differences according to alexithymia subtype, while only the difference in maternal TAS-1 scores (difficulty in describing feelings) were statistically significant. Parental depression and state anxiety scores were increased as the child's symptom severity increased, but trait anxiety symptoms were higher in the AD and ADHD group than in the PDD-NOS group. In all groups, maternal depression and anxiety scores were higher than paternal scores, and differences were significant for depression and anxiety types in AD, and for only anxiety types in ADHD parents. The AD group had the strongest correlation between parental depression-anxiety and alexithymia. CONCLUSION The possibility of alexithymia, depression and anxiety should be kept in mind when working with parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- İbrahim Durukan
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Koray Kara
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mahmoud Almbaideen
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Private Madalyon Psychiatry Center, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Dursun Karaman
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hesna Gül
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
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Tapancı Z, Yıldırım A, Boysan M. Neurological soft signs, dissociation and alexithymia in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and healthy subjects. Psychiatry Res 2018; 260:90-97. [PMID: 29175504 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.11.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
A body of evidence has supported that patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have increased rates of various neurological soft signs (NSS) compared to controls. Various lines of research has documented robust relationships between OCD and dissociative symptomatology. The study aimed to examine the associations between obsessive-compulsive symptoms, dissociative experiences alexithymia, and NSS. The study included thirty OCD patients and thirty healthy controls, matched for age, marital status, education, and income. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES), Padua Inventory-Revised (PI-R), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were administered. In comparison to healthy controls, patients with OCD had difficulty sequencing for complex motor acts and greater absorption/ imaginative involvement. Using latent class analysis, the study sample was classified into two homogenous subsets as mild NSS (n = 45) and severe NSS (n = 15). Majority of the participants who were grouped into severe NSS latent class were OCD patient (n = 14, 93.3%). Furthermore, those with severe NSS reported greater levels of alexithymia and more severe obsessive-compulsive symptoms, particularly precision. We concluded that relationships between OCD severity and NSS appear to be of crucial importance. Our data along with accumulated evidence suggest that OCD associated with pronounced NSS may represent a specific subtype of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zafer Tapancı
- Department of Psychiatry, Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
| | - Abdullah Yıldırım
- Department of Psychiatry, Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey.
| | - Murat Boysan
- Department of Psychology, Yüzüncü Yıl University Faculty of Social Sciences, Van, Turkey.
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Preece D, Becerra R, Allan A, Robinson K, Dandy J. Establishing the theoretical components of alexithymia via factor analysis: Introduction and validation of the attention-appraisal model of alexithymia. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Assessing Alexithymia: Psychometric Properties and Factorial Invariance of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in Nonclinical and Psychiatric Samples. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-017-9634-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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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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Hiirola A, Pirkola S, Karukivi M, Markkula N, Bagby RM, Joukamaa M, Jula A, Kronholm E, Saarijärvi S, Salminen JK, Suvisaari J, Taylor G, Mattila AK. An evaluation of the absolute and relative stability of alexithymia over 11years in a Finnish general population. J Psychosom Res 2017; 95:81-87. [PMID: 28314554 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Revised: 01/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated if alexithymia, a personality construct with difficulties in emotional processing, is stable in the general population. METHODS Altogether 3083 unselected subjects aged 30 and older in Finland completed the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) in the longitudinal Health 2000 and Health 2011 general population surveys (BRIF8901). The stability of alexithymia at the 11-year follow-up was assessed with t-tests, correlations, and separate linear regression models with base-line and follow-up age, gender, marital status, education, and 12-month depressive and anxiety disorders as confounders. RESULTS The mean score (SD) of the TAS-20 for the whole sample was 44.2 (10.4) in 2000 and 44.2 (10.9) in 2011 (p=0.731). The mean score of the TAS-20 subscale Difficulty Identifying Feelings increased by 0.3 points, Difficulty Describing Feelings decreased by 0.6 points and Externally Oriented Thinking increased by 0.3 points. The effect sizes of the changes varied from negligible to small. Age had little effect except for the group of the oldest subjects (75-97years): the TAS-20 mean (SD) score was 49.1 (10.1) in 2000 and 53.1 (10.3) in 2011 (p<0.001), the effect size for the increase was medium. TAS-20 score in 2000 explained a significant proportion of variance in TAS-20 score in 2011. Controlling for all baseline confounders improved the model incrementally; the same applied to controlling for confounders at follow-up. Baseline depression or anxiety disorders were not associated with the TAS-20 scores in 2011, whereas current diagnoses were. CONCLUSIONS According to our large longitudinal study both the absolute and relative stability of alexithymia assessed with the TAS-20 are high in the adult general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hiirola
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
| | - S Pirkola
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - M Karukivi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Unit of Adolescent Psychiatry, Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Finland
| | - N Markkula
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mental Health Unit, Helsinki, Finland; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - R M Bagby
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - M Joukamaa
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - A Jula
- National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Turku, Finland
| | - E Kronholm
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland
| | - S Saarijärvi
- Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Unit of Adolescent Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - J K Salminen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - J Suvisaari
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Mental Health Unit, Helsinki, Finland
| | - G Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - A K Mattila
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
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Extreme sensory processing patterns show a complex association with depression, and impulsivity, alexithymia, and hopelessness. J Affect Disord 2017; 210:249-257. [PMID: 28064114 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The involvement of extreme sensory processing patterns, impulsivity, alexithymia, and hopelessness was hypothesized to contribute to the complex pathophysiology of major depression and bipolar disorder. However, the nature of the relation between these variables has not been thoroughly investigated. AIMS This study aimed to explore the association between extreme sensory processing patterns, impulsivity, alexithymia, depression, and hopelessness. METHODS We recruited 281 euthymic participants (mean age=47.4±12.1) of which 62.3% with unipolar major depression and 37.7% with bipolar disorder. All participants completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), second version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). RESULTS Lower registration of sensory input showed a significant correlation with depression, impulsivity, attentional/motor impulsivity, and alexithymia. It was significantly more frequent among participants with elevated hopelessness, and accounted for 22% of the variance in depression severity, 15% in greater impulsivity, 36% in alexithymia, and 3% in hopelessness. Elevated sensory seeking correlated with enhanced motor impulsivity and decreased non-planning impulsivity. Higher sensory sensitivity and sensory avoiding correlated with depression, impulsivity, and alexithymia. LIMITATIONS The study was limited by the relatively small sample size and cross-sectional nature of the study. Furthermore, only self-report measures that may be potentially biased by social desirability were used. CONCLUSION Extreme sensory processing patterns, impulsivity, alexithymia, depression, and hopelessness may show a characteristic pattern in patients with major affective disorders. The careful assessment of sensory profiles may help in developing targeted interventions and improve functional/adaptive strategies.
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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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Alexithymia in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Its Relationship to Internalising Difficulties, Sensory Modulation and Social Cognition. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:1354-67. [PMID: 26659552 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2670-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Alexithymia is a personality trait frequently found in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and has been linked to impairments in emotion recognition and empathy. The presentation of alexithymia within ASD at younger ages remains unexplored, and was examined in the present study. Alexithymia rates were significantly elevated in ASD (55%; 31/56 scoring above cut-off) versus non-ASD adolescents (16%; 5/32 scoring above cut-off). Within individuals with ASD, alexithymia was associated with increased self-reported anxiety, parent-reported emotional difficulties, self-reported sensory processing atypicalities, and poorer emotion recognition, but was not associated with theory of mind ability. Overall, our results suggest that alexithymia is highly prevalent, and has selective cognitive correlates in young people with ASD.
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Serafini G, Gonda X, Pompili M, Rihmer Z, Amore M, Engel-Yeger B. The relationship between sensory processing patterns, alexithymia, traumatic childhood experiences, and quality of life among patients with unipolar and bipolar disorders. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2016; 62:39-50. [PMID: 27792883 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Several studies documented the involvement of sensory perception in emotional processes. The long-term consequences of traumatic experiences and alexithymia have been demonstrated as well. However, the role of extreme sensory processing patterns, traumatic childhood experiences, and alexithymia has not been thoroughly examined in major affective disorders. The present study aimed to: (1) compare unipolar/bipolar patients with regard to their sensory processing patterns, alexithymia, childhood traumatic experiences and quality of life; (2) examine the correlations between sensory processing patterns and childhood traumatic experiences; (3) investigate the relative contribution of diagnostic groups (unipolar/bipolar), sensory processing patterns, alexithymia, and childhood traumatic experiences in predicting quality of life. The sample included 336 participants, 197 with unipolar and 139 with bipolar disorder. All participants completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, and Short Form 12 Health Survey version 2 (SF-12). Bipolar patients showed significantly higher physical neglect, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect compared with unipolar patients. Both in unipolar and bipolar groups, lower registration of sensory input as well as hypersensitivity correlated with enhanced childhood trauma events. Reduced sensory sensitivity accounted for 11% of the variance in physical health composite score (PCS) of SF-12 whereas reduced depression accounted for 8% of the variance in mental health composite score (MCS). Furthermore, elevated MCS was predicted by depression, physical and emotional neglect. Sensory processing patterns and childhood traumatic experiences may specifically characterize individuals with major affective disorders and play a role in the prediction of their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Serafini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Xenia Gonda
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Pharmacodynamics, Semmelweis University, Hungary
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Zoltan Rihmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mario Amore
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Batya Engel-Yeger
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel
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van Dijke A, van ‘t Wout M, Ford JD, Aleman A. Deficits in Degraded Facial Affect Labeling in Schizophrenia and Borderline Personality Disorder. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154145. [PMID: 27300727 PMCID: PMC4907495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although deficits in facial affect processing have been reported in schizophrenia as well as in borderline personality disorder (BPD), these disorders have not yet been directly compared on facial affect labeling. Using degraded stimuli portraying neutral, angry, fearful and angry facial expressions, we hypothesized more errors in labeling negative facial expressions in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. Patients with BPD were expected to have difficulty in labeling neutral expressions and to display a bias towards a negative attribution when wrongly labeling neutral faces. Patients with schizophrenia (N = 57) and patients with BPD (N = 30) were compared to patients with somatoform disorder (SoD, a psychiatric control group; N = 25) and healthy control participants (N = 41) on facial affect labeling accuracy and type of misattributions. Patients with schizophrenia showed deficits in labeling angry and fearful expressions compared to the healthy control group and patients with BPD showed deficits in labeling neutral expressions compared to the healthy control group. Schizophrenia and BPD patients did not differ significantly from each other when labeling any of the facial expressions. Compared to SoD patients, schizophrenia patients showed deficits on fearful expressions, but BPD did not significantly differ from SoD patients on any of the facial expressions. With respect to the type of misattributions, BPD patients mistook neutral expressions more often for fearful expressions compared to schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, and less often for happy compared to schizophrenia patients. These findings suggest that although schizophrenia and BPD patients demonstrate different as well as similar facial affect labeling deficits, BPD may be associated with a tendency to detect negative affect in neutral expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemiek van Dijke
- Yulius-academy/ Yulius-COLK, Rotterdam-Dordrecht Area & Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- * E-mail: ;
| | - Mascha van ‘t Wout
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, United States of America
| | - Julian D. Ford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, United States of America
| | - André Aleman
- Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, and Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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Ho NSP, Wong MMC, Lee TMC. Neural connectivity of alexithymia: Specific association with major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2016; 193:362-72. [PMID: 26796237 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.12.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2015] [Revised: 12/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia has been frequently associated with major depression disorders (MDD). Yet little is known about the exact relationship of alexithymia and MDD. In order to explore this subject matter, the neural connectivity associated with alexithymia in people with MDD and matched nonclinical controls were compared. METHODS Twenty-two females diagnosed with first-episode MDD and twenty-one matched nonclinical controls were MRI brain-scanned with diffusion-tensor-imaging and resting-state-functional-imaging methods, and self-reported the Chinese 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. RESULTS Voxel-wise multiple regression analysis showed a group interaction effect regarding the correlation between white-matter-connectivity and alexithymia. Significant correlations were observed at the corpus-callosum in MDDs and at the right superior-longitudinal-fasciculus in the controls. These findings were then used to derive seeds for analyzing resting-state-functional-connectivity in each group separately. The results further revealed that alexithymia in MDDs were associated with reduced functional-connectivity in the right precentral-gyrus and several regions of the brain on the right which are associated with cognitive regulation in the default-mode-network. In contrast, among the control subjects, alexithymia was correlated with increased functional-connectivity between the right inferior-frontal-gyrus-triangularis and the right superior-occipital-lobe, which is associated with emotional response to external stimuli. LIMITATIONS Better participant selection, especially recruitment of medication-free samples, and the engagement of additional alexithymia assessments, should be considered in future investigations. CONCLUSIONS These findings supported our a priori hypothesis that MDDs and controls have distinct white-matter correlates of alexithymia, and these corresponded to the existing proposed neural correlates for the cognitive and affective characteristics of alexithymia respectively. Extended impacts of these microstructural changes on remote functional networks might help explain the distinct behavioral characteristics of alexithymia for these groups, as well as implications for therapeutic intervention of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerissa S P Ho
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong; Laboratory of Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | - Tatia M C Lee
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong; Laboratory of Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Institute of Clinical Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Freed RD, Rubenstein LM, Daryanani I, Olino TM, Alloy LB. The Relationship Between Family Functioning and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Emotional Clarity. J Youth Adolesc 2016; 45:505-19. [PMID: 26832726 PMCID: PMC4769177 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-016-0429-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Emotion regulation has been implicated in the etiology of depression. A first step in adaptive emotion regulation involves emotional clarity, the ability to recognize and differentiate one's emotional experience. As family members are critical in facilitating emotional understanding and communication, we examined the impact of family functioning on adolescent emotional clarity and depressive symptoms. We followed 364 adolescents (ages 14-17; 52.5% female; 51.4 % Caucasian, 48.6% African American) and their mothers over 2 years (3 time points) and assessed emotional clarity, depressive symptoms, and adolescents' and mothers' reports of family functioning. Emotional clarity mediated the relationship between adolescents' reports of family functioning and depressive symptoms at all time points cross-sectionally, and according to mothers' reports of family functioning at Time 1 only. There was no evidence of longitudinal mediation for adolescents' or mothers' reports of family functioning. Thus, family functioning, emotional clarity, and depressive symptoms are strongly related constructs during various time points in adolescence, which has important implications for intervention, especially within the family unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Freed
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Liza M Rubenstein
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Issar Daryanani
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Thomas M Olino
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Lauren B Alloy
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
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Öztürk A, Kiliç A, Deveci E, Kirpinar İ. Investigation of facial emotion recognition, alexithymia, and levels of anxiety and depression in patients with somatic symptoms and related disorders. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2016; 12:1047-53. [PMID: 27199559 PMCID: PMC4857827 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s106989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The concept of facial emotion recognition is well established in various neuropsychiatric disorders. Although emotional disturbances are strongly associated with somatoform disorders, there are a restricted number of studies that have investigated facial emotion recognition in somatoform disorders. Furthermore, there have been no studies that have regarded this issue using the new diagnostic criteria for somatoform disorders as somatic symptoms and related disorders (SSD). In this study, we aimed to compare the factors of facial emotion recognition between patients with SSD and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) and to retest and investigate the factors of facial emotion recognition using the new criteria for SSD. PATIENTS AND METHODS After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 54 patients who were diagnosed with SSD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria and 46 age- and sex-matched HC were selected to participate in the present study. Facial emotion recognition, alexithymia, and the status of anxiety and depression were compared between the groups. RESULTS Patients with SSD had significantly decreased scores of facial emotion for fear faces, disgust faces, and neutral faces compared with age- and sex-matched HC (t=-2.88, P=0.005; t=-2.86, P=0.005; and t=-2.56, P=0.009, respectively). After eliminating the effects of alexithymia and depressive and anxious states, the groups were found to be similar in terms of their responses to facial emotion and mean reaction time to facial emotions. DISCUSSION Although there have been limited numbers of studies that have examined the recognition of facial emotion in patients with somatoform disorders, our study is the first to investigate facial recognition in patients with SSD diagnosed according to the DSM-5 criteria. Recognition of facial emotion was found to be disturbed in patients with SSD. However, our findings suggest that disturbances in facial recognition were significantly associated with alexithymia and the status of depression and anxiety, which is consistent with the previous studies. Further studies are needed to highlight the associations between facial emotion recognition and SSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Öztürk
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alperen Kiliç
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Erdem Deveci
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - İsmet Kirpinar
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey
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