[Psychological characteristics of patients with vasovagal syncope: and observational study on sixty subjects]

Based on the relevant literature, the aim of this study was to analyze the psychosocial characteristics of patients with vasovagal syncope and to evaluate these factors as possible etiopathological components.

The study sample consisted of 60 subjects divided as follows: the syncope group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30, without prominent diseases). The two groups were matched with regard to age, sex, education and civil status. Each participant filled in the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, acceptance of emotions scale, profile of mood state, attachment style questionnaire, and childhood traumatic events scale.

The syncope group showed a higher number of somatic diseases (p < 0.0002) and a higher drug use (p < 0.0001) than the control group. Moreover, the syncope group showed higher scores at the childhood traumatic events scale (p < 0.04) and more difficulties in emotion regulation (p < 0.02). The syncope group also showed higher scores at the need for approval scale (p < 0.0006) and lower scores at the confidence scale (p < 0.02) of the attachment style questionnaire, which reflect an insecure style of relationship with others.

A high number of traumatic events in infancy and adolescence, difficulties in the expression of emotions and an insecure style of relationship seem to characterize subjects with vasovagal syncope. These data show that syncope could be at least partiality due to a relational and emotional imbalance that finds expression through the body in the presence of insufficient mental processing. Treatment of this syndrome should therefore take these aspects into consideration.