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Negri A, Mariani R, Tanzilli A, Fiorini Bincoletto A, Lingiardi V, Christian C. A Single Case Multimethod Assessment to Detect Significant Changes in the Psychoanalytic Treatment of Psychosomatic Disorders. J Pers Assess 2024; 106:696-707. [PMID: 38407092 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2024.2312978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Mental disorders with body-centered symptoms, such as somatic, eating, and body dysmorphic disorders, present difficulties in psychotherapy because psychological suffering is manifested in the body rather than expressed verbally. The present study illustrates a single case multi-method investigation sensitive to detecting characteristic change manifestations in the treatment of these disorders. We investigated a treatment of a patient with body dysmorphic disorder. Computerized linguistic measures were applied to 86 sessions to assess changes in symbolic processing; out of the 86 sessions, 40 were analyzed to calculate the proportion of speech focused on bodily symptoms versus on relationships. Changes in personality were assessed using the SWAP-200 on nine sessions from different treatment stages. Measures of linguistic style, speech content, and personality showed marked changes over the treatment. The patient manifested schizoid and schizotypal personality traits that decreased over time, along with an increase in personality high-functioning dimension. The patient's ability to translate his emotional experience into words steadily increased, switching the primary focus of narratives from bodily symptoms to relationships. A multimethod assessment of the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder shows that improvement in personality functioning is accompanied by a shift from a focus on bodily experiences to a focus on relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attà Negri
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Italy
| | - Rachele Mariani
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Tanzilli
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Alice Fiorini Bincoletto
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Lingiardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
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2
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Lanzara R, Conti C, Lalli V, Cannizzaro P, Affaitati GP, Giamberardino MA, Williams A, Porcelli P. Emotions in search of words: Does alexithymia predict treatment outcome in chronic musculoskeletal pain? Stress Health 2024:e3436. [PMID: 38896506 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3436] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Chronic pain, with its complex and multidimensional nature, poses significant challenges in identifying effective long-term treatments. There is growing scientific interest in how psychopathological and personality dimensions may influence the maintenance and development of chronic pain. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate whether alexithymia can predict the improvement of pain severity following a treatment-as-usual programme for chronic musculoskeletal pain over and above psychological cofactors (emotional distress, catastrophizing, and self-efficacy). A consecutive sample of 129 patients with diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal pain referred to two tertiary care centres was recruited and treated for 16 weeks. Clinical pain, psychological distress, self-efficacy, catastrophizing, and alexithymia were assessed with validated self-report measures at the first medical visit (T0) and at 16-week follow-up (T1). Compared with non-responder patients (n = 72, 55.8%), those who responded (i.e., reduction of >30% in pain severity; n = 57, 44.2%) reported an overall improvement in psychological variables except alexithymia. Alexithymia showed relative stability between baseline and follow-up within the entire sample and remained a significant predictor of treatment outcome even when other predictive cofactors (i.e., pain interference, depressive symptoms, and catastrophizing) were considered simultaneously. Our results suggest that identifying patients with a co-occurrence between alexithymia, depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and the stressful experience of chronic pain can be clinically relevant in pain prevention and intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Lanzara
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Chiara Conti
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Vittorio Lalli
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Regional Pain Unit, University Hospital SS. Annunziata, Chieti, Italy
| | - Paolo Cannizzaro
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Regional Pain Unit, University Hospital SS. Annunziata, Chieti, Italy
| | - Gianna Pia Affaitati
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine & Dentistry, University "Gabriele d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy
| | - Maria Adele Giamberardino
- Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Alison Williams
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Piero Porcelli
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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Babcock JC, Kini S, Godfrey DA, Rodriguez L. Differential Treatment Response of Proactive and Reactive Partner Abusive Men: Results from a Laboratory Proximal Change Experiment. PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION 2024; 33:43-54. [PMID: 38298213 PMCID: PMC10826976 DOI: 10.5093/pi2024a2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Objective: The current study reexamines data from Babcock et al. (2011) proximal change experiment to discern the differential utility of two communication skills-based interventions for proactive and reactive partner violence offenders. Method: Partner violent men were randomly assigned to the Editing Out the Negative skill, the Accepting Influence skill, or to a placebo/timeout and reengaged in a conflict discussion with their partners. Proactivity was tested as a moderator of immediate intervention outcomes. The ability to learn the communication skills, changes in self-reported affect, observed aggression, and psychophysiological responding were examined as a function of proactivity of violence. Results: Highly proactive men had some difficulty learning the Accepting Influence skill and they responded poorly to this intervention. They responded positively to the Editing Out the Negative technique, with less aggression, more positive affect, and lower heart rates. Low proactive (i.e., reactive) men tended to feel less aggressive, more positive, and less physiologically aroused after completing the Accepting Influence technique. Conclusions: This study lends support for tailoring batterer interventions specific to perpetrator characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sheetal Kini
- The Lighthouse ArabiaUAEThe Lighthouse Arabia, UAE;
| | | | - Lindsey Rodriguez
- University of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSAUniversity of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Freiherr von Schoenhueb D, Boecking B, Mazurek B. Alexithymia in Patients with Somatization Difficulties and Tinnitus-Related Distress: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6828. [PMID: 37959295 PMCID: PMC10649228 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12216828] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic tinnitus, the perception of sound without an external source, can significantly affect individuals' well-being. As an often medically unexplained symptom, chronic tinnitus can present as a "somatoform" or "functional" difficulty. Some evidence has pointed to alexithymia as a transdiagnostically relevant risk factor for both symptom clusters. Using a two-part rapid review-searching within EBSCO, Embase by Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science-we summarize psychological studies regarding alexithymia, i.e., difficulties in recognizing and expressing emotions and (1) somatoform conditions and (2) chronic tinnitus. For the former (inclusion criteria: (1) adult human beings with different kinds of somatization, (2) longitudinal study designs, (3) publication between 2001 and 2021, (4) full-text in English or German) we identified eight studies that revealed significant links between alexithymia and somatoform conditions. Psychotherapy improved alexithymia in most studies. Additionally, alexithymia was associated with broader treatment outcomes such as improvements in pain intensity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and patient-therapist alliance. The 'Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies-of Interventions' tool (ROBINS-I) and 'Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials' (RoB 2) were used for risk of bias assessment. Summarizing all available studies on alexithymia and chronic tinnitus, we identified three studies. Inclusion criteria were: (1) adult human beings with chronic tinnitus, (2) publication between 2001 and 2021, (3) full-text in English or German. Risk of bias was assessed by the 'JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies'. The available studies suggested a high rate of alexithymia (65.7%) in patients with chronic tinnitus. Tinnitus-related distress was significantly associated with alexithymia in two studies, one of which, however, found no differences in alexithymia between patients with bothersome versus non-bothersome tinnitus. Conversely, one study reported high levels of alexithymia in patients with low levels of tinnitus-related distress. Overall, alexithymia may be a transdiagnostic psychological indicator of somatization phenomena, which might include some chronic tinnitus presentations. Psychotherapy likely improves alexithymia as well as somatoform symptom presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Birgit Mazurek
- Tinnitus Center, Charité—Universitatsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (D.F.v.S.); (B.B.)
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La Touche R, García-Salgado A, Cuenca-Martínez F, Angulo-Díaz-Parreño S, Paris-Alemany A, Suso-Martí L, Herranz-Gómez A. Alexithymia and facial emotion recognition in patients with craniofacial pain and association of alexithymia with anxiety and depression: a systematic review with meta-analysis. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12545. [PMID: 34909277 PMCID: PMC8638568 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We aimed to determine the presence of alexithymia in patients with craniofacial pain (CFP) compared with asymptomatic individuals. Our secondary aims were to assess the relationship of alexithymia with anxiety and depression levels, as well as to assess the presence of facial emotion recognition deficit. Methods Medline, Scielo and Google Scholar were searched, with the last search performed in 8 September 2021. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% CIs were calculated for relevant outcomes and were pooled in a meta-analysis using the random effects model. In addition, meta-analyses of correlations and a meta-regression of alexithymia with depression and anxiety were performed. Results Regarding alexithymia, assessed through the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the results showed significant differences, with higher values in patients compared with asymptomatic individuals, with a large clinical effect (SMD 0.46; 95% CI [0.22–0.71]; heterogeneity-Q 66.86; p < 0.001; inconsistency (I2) = 81%). We found statistically significant correlations with a small clinical effect of alexithymia with anxiety and depression. The meta-regression showed no significant association between the TAS and anxiety or depression. With respect to facial emotion recognition, the results showed statistically significant differences, with greater recognition difficulty in patients compared with asymptomatic individuals, with a large clinical effect (SMD −1.17; 95% CI [−2.01 to −0.33]; heterogeneity-Q 2.97; p = 0.080; I2 = 66%). Conclusions Patients with CFP showed alexithymia with moderate evidence. There was also moderate evidence indicating that these patients had significant deficits in facial emotion recognition compared with asymptomatic individuals. Furthermore, alexithymia showed statistically significant correlations with anxiety and depression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy La Touche
- Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Dolor Craneofacial y Neuromusculoesquelético (INDCRAN), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto García-Salgado
- Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ferran Cuenca-Martínez
- Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Angulo-Díaz-Parreño
- Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Facultad de Medicina, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alba Paris-Alemany
- Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Dolor Craneofacial y Neuromusculoesquelético (INDCRAN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Suso-Martí
- Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain
| | - Aida Herranz-Gómez
- Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Rady A, Alamrawy RG, Ramadan I, El Raouf MA. Prevalence of Alexithymia in Patients with Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms: A Cross-sectional Study in Egypt. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health 2021; 17:136-145. [PMID: 34880925 PMCID: PMC8595980 DOI: 10.2174/1745017902117010136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a high incidence of alexithymia in people who report medically unexplained symptoms. There have been limited studies on the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) in various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with MUPS and examine their socio-demographic data. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 196 patients with MUPS were recruited from tertiary care internal medicine and neuropsychiatry clinics during the first quarter of 2019. Patients completed a structured interview; socio-demographic and medical history data were collected. Somatic symptom severity was assessed using the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). Alexithymia was assessed using the Arabic version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. RESULTS General fatigue was the most common complaint observed, followed by headache and dyspepsia. In addition, 73.5% of patients had a high Patient Health Questionnaire score, 17.9% had somatic symptoms of medium severity, while 8% and 0.5% had low and marginal somatic symptoms, respectively. Alexithymia was presented in 49.5%, 22.9% had no alexithymia, and 27.6% had borderline/intermediate alexithymia.A weak positive correlation (r<0.4) was found between somatic symptom severity and alexithymic psychopathology (r=0.277;p<0.05). Only the 'difficulty identifying feelings' dimension of alexithymic psychopathology was positively correlated with the severity of somatic symptoms (r=0.271;p<0.05). CONCLUSION Alexithymia is associated with the development of MUPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Rady
- Department of Psychiatry, Alexandria University, School of Medicine, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Roa Gamal Alamrawy
- Mamoura Psychiatric Hospital, Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Ismail Ramadan
- Department of Neurology, Alexandria University School of Medicine, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mervat Abd El Raouf
- Department of Neurology, Alexandria University School of Medicine, Alexandria, Egypt
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Hébert M, Smith K, Boisjoli C, Larouche S. Validation of the French version of the Children's Alexithymia Measure. L'ENCEPHALE 2021; 47:306-313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Humer E, Sattel H, Gündel H, Henningsen P, Kruse J, Schneider G, Lahmann C, Pieh C, Probst T. Stress, depression, and the therapeutic alliance as mediators on the outcome of brief psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy for multisomatoform disorder. Psychother Res 2021; 31:1012-1021. [PMID: 33550930 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2021.1882711] [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: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify and explore mediators of psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy (PIT) on treatment outcome in multisomatoform disorders (MSD). Data from 164 patients with MSD who took part in a randomized control trial of PIT (n = 88) vs. enhanced medical care (EMC; n = 76) were re-analyzed. A parallel mediation analysis was performed to investigate whether the beneficial effect of PIT vs. EMC on physical quality of life (physical component summary (PCS) of the SF-36 Health Survey) nine months post-treatment is mediated by post-treatment scores of stress, depression, and therapeutic alliance. The potential mediators were operationalized with the Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ; therapeutic alliance), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-stress module (perceived stress) and the PHQ-depression module (PHQ-9; depression). Stress partially mediated the effect of PIT vs. EMC on the follow-up outcome. PIT (as compared to EMC) led to lower post-treatment stress-levels, which in turn led to higher physical quality of life at follow-up. Neither depression nor the alliance had a mediating effect. Stress mediated the outcome of PIT for MSD. Future studies are needed to extend the scope of research regarding which specific psychotherapeutic mechanisms of change are beneficial in PIT treatment of MSD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Humer
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Heribert Sattel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Peter Henningsen
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Kruse
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Schneider
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Department of Mental Health, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Claas Lahmann
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Pieh
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
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9
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Linn BK, Stasiewicz PR, Fillo J, Bradizza CM. The Great Disrupter: Relationship of Alexithymia to Emotion Regulation Processes and Smoking among Pregnant Women. Subst Use Misuse 2020; 55:1113-1121. [PMID: 32153230 PMCID: PMC7401085 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1729198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Background: Many women continue to smoke during pregnancy, despite known risks, often in response to negative affect. Recent scholarship has begun to examine factors that decrease the success of behavioral treatments for smoking cessation in pregnancy, which are the preferred interventions. Alexithymia is one factor that may interfere with smoking cessation interventions. Alexithymia restricts access to emotional information and increases propensity toward maladaptive behaviors, including smoking. However, mechanisms underlying such effects are largely unknown. Objectives: Using data from a longitudinal treatment study, the present research examined difficulties with emotion regulation as a potential mechanism linking alexithymia and smoking. Pregnant smokers (n = 73; mean age = 24.78; SD = 4.50) completed measures related to alexithymia, smoking, emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, and anger at baseline and then again following eight sessions of Cognitive-Behavioral Smoking Cessation Treatment. Results: Nearly 40% of the sample met the criteria for alexithymia. The alexithymia group reported higher depression, anxiety, and anger. They also reported more difficulties with emotion regulation. In a path analysis, baseline alexithymia had a significant positive indirect effect on number of cigarettes smoked at the end of treatment through difficulties with emotion regulation. Conclusions/Importance: Similar to other studies, alexithymia limits the understanding of emotional information necessary for selection and implementation of adaptive coping responses. Our results extend the literature by suggesting that smoking may be an attempt to manage undifferentiated and unpleasant sensations created by alexithymia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braden K Linn
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Paul R Stasiewicz
- School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Jennifer Fillo
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Clara M Bradizza
- School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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Pinna F, Manchia M, Paribello P, Carpiniello B. The Impact of Alexithymia on Treatment Response in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:311. [PMID: 32372987 PMCID: PMC7177022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Treatment of psychiatric disorders relies heavily on a trial and error approach, often prolonging the time required to obtain symptomatic improvements. The identification of reliable predictors of treatment response is instrumental to enact an individualized approach. Alexithymia represents a personality trait reflecting an intrinsic difficulty in recognizing the emotional components of subjective experiences. Thus, its modulating role on treatment outcome has gathered substantial attention during the past years. In the present paper, we aimed at exploring the available evidence for Alexithymia role in influencing the treatment outcome on a wide range of psychiatric conditions by means of a systematic review. DATA SOURCE We performed a systematic review in Medline and Scopus, augmented by tracking the reference list of the pertinent articles. INCLUSION CRITERIA To be included in this review, research studies had to assess alexithymia impact on a treatment intervention delivered to manage a primary psychiatric disorder. STUDY EVALUATION AND DATA SYNTHESIS After removing duplicates, titles were screened first, then abstracts, and last full texts were read, eventually leading to the inclusion or exclusion of the papers according to the criteria established before the online search. Then results of the search were downloaded in.xml format and uploaded in Rayyan, a free web software, that helps expedite the initial screening of abstracts and titles using a process of semi-automation while incorporating a high level of usability. After uploading, screening of the literature was performed in blind by two investigators. Disagreement between reviewers was resolved by joint discussion with a third senior investigator. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Thereafter, the data considered relevant was extracted and synthetized in this paper. RESULTS Our search yielded a total of 30 articles dealing with a wide range of psychiatric conditions and exploring both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. Several lines of evidence suggest a complex role for alexithymia in influencing the psychiatric treatment outcome, further underscoring the need for additional research in this area to better address the existing knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mirko Manchia
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Pasquale Paribello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Bernardo Carpiniello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Gmeinwieser S, Hagmayer Y, Pieh C, Probst T. General change mechanisms in the early treatment phase and their associations with the outcome of cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with different levels of motivational incongruence. Clin Psychol Psychother 2019; 26:550-561. [DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Gmeinwieser
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Therapy and Counseling CenterUniversity of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - York Hagmayer
- Department for Cognitive and Decision SciencesUniversity of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Christoph Pieh
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial HealthDanube University Krems Austria
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial HealthDanube University Krems Austria
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12
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Gmeinwieser S, Kuhlencord M, Ruhl U, Hagmayer Y, Probst T. Early developments in general change mechanisms predict reliable improvement in addition to early symptom trajectories in cognitive behavioral therapy. Psychother Res 2019; 30:462-473. [PMID: 31038052 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2019.1609709] [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: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
General change mechanisms (GCMs) have been shown to predict treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Early changes in GCMs (early-change-GCMs) and in symptom severity were also linked to treatment outcome, but evidence is still limited. We investigated whether early-change-GCMs from patients' and therapists' perspectives in addition to early changes in symptom severity predict treatment outcome. Data from a university-based outpatient clinic was analyzed (N = 911 completers). Most treatments were provided by therapists in CBT training. Outcomes were symptom severity and life satisfaction. Continuous post-treatment scores and categories of reliable improvement (improved vs. not improved) were investigated. Some patient-rated early-change-GCMs and early changes in symptom severity proved to be predictors for continuous outcomes (p < .05) in symptom severity and life satisfaction. In addition, some patient-rated early-change-GCMs predicted reliable improvement in life satisfaction. By contrast, therapist-rated early-change-GCMs and early symptom severity change predicted reliable improvement in symptom severity. Early-change-GCMs explained between two and four percent additional variance in outcomes. Thus, it is important to consider early changes in GCMs in addition to early changes in symptom severity in routine monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Gmeinwieser
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Therapy and Counseling Center, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Merle Kuhlencord
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Therapy and Counseling Center, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Uwe Ruhl
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Therapy and Counseling Center, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - York Hagmayer
- Department for Cognitive and Decision Sciences, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University, Krems, Austria
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Mander J, Blanck P, Neubauer AB, Kröger P, Flückiger C, Lutz W, Barnow S, Bents H, Heidenreich T. Mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation as standardized session-introduction in individual therapy: A randomized controlled trial. J Clin Psychol 2019; 75:21-45. [PMID: 30295914 PMCID: PMC6826255 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is scarce research on the effects of mindfulness in individual therapy. As many practitioners integrate mindfulness exercises into individual therapy, empirical evidence is of high clinical relevance. METHOD We investigated the effects of a session-introducing intervention with mindfulness elements (SIIME) in a randomized, controlled design. The effects of SIIME on therapeutic alliance and symptomatic outcome were compared with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and treatment-as-usual (TAU) control conditions. The sample comprised 162 patients with anxiety and depression. RESULTS Multilevel modeling revealed a significant symptom reduction and significant increase of alliance over the course of therapy. There were no significant time-condition interactions on outcome and alliance, indicating the comparable efficiency of all three treatment conditions. CONCLUSIONS We found no advantage of SIIME versus PMR and TAU. Add-on mindfulness might not improve individual therapy related to alliance and outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Mander
- Center for Psychological PsychotherapyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Paul Blanck
- Center for Psychological PsychotherapyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Andreas B. Neubauer
- German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF)Frankfurt am MainGermany
| | - Paula Kröger
- Center for Psychological PsychotherapyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Christoph Flückiger
- Department of Clinical Psychology and PsychotherapyUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Wolfgang Lutz
- Department of Clinical Psychology and PsychotherapyUniversity of TrierTrierGermany
| | - Sven Barnow
- Department of Clinical Psychology and PsychotherapyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Hinrich Bents
- Center for Psychological PsychotherapyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Thomas Heidenreich
- Department of Social Work, Health and NursingUniversity of Applied Sciences EsslingenEsslingen am NeckarGermany
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Nakao M, Takeuchi T. Alexithymia and Somatosensory Amplification Link Perceived Psychosocial Stress and Somatic Symptoms in Outpatients with Psychosomatic Illness. J Clin Med 2018; 7:E112. [PMID: 29748483 PMCID: PMC5977151 DOI: 10.3390/jcm7050112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosomatic patients often complain of a variety of somatic symptoms. We sought to clarify the role of clinical predictors of complaints of somatic symptoms. METHODS We enrolled 604 patients visiting a psychosomatic outpatient clinic. The outcome was the total number of somatic symptoms, and the candidate clinical predictors were perceived psychosocial stress, alexithymia, somatosensory amplification, adaptation, anxiety, and depression. All participants completed questionnaires assessing the outcome and the predictors. RESULTS The average number of reported somatic symptoms was 4.8; the most frequent was fatigue (75.3%), followed by insomnia (56.1%), low-back pain (49.5%), headache (44.7%), and palpitations (43.1%). Multiple regression analysis showed that the total number of somatic symptoms was significantly associated with the degree of perceived psychosocial stress, alexithymia, somatosensory amplification, and depression. Also, structural equation models indicated links between excessive adaptation (via perceived psychosocial stress, alexithymia, and somatosensory amplification) and the total number of somatic symptoms. CONCLUSION The results suggested that the association between psychosocial stress and reported somatic symptoms is mediated by alexithymia and somatosensory amplification in psychosomatic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutsuhiro Nakao
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, Chiba 286-8686, Japan.
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Teikyo University Hospital, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
| | - Takeaki Takeuchi
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Teikyo University Hospital, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, School of Medicine, Toho University Hospital, Tokyo 143-8541, Japan.
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