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Secondary alexithymia: an empirical validation.

T N Wise1, L S Mann, J D Mitchell

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA.

Comprehensive Psychiatry
|July 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Medically ill patients exhibit higher alexithymia, a difficulty identifying emotions, than healthy individuals. This emotional alexithymia is linked to depressed mood and reduced quality of life, supporting its role as a secondary condition.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Medical Sociology

Background:

  • Alexithymia is recognized as both a stable personality trait and a potential consequence of significant medical conditions.
  • Understanding secondary alexithymia is crucial for comprehensive patient care in medical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To empirically investigate the concept of secondary alexithymia in a medically ill population.
  • To compare alexithymia levels between patients with medical illnesses and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of medically ill patients receiving psychiatric consultations was assessed.
  • A healthy control group was included for comparative analysis.
  • The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) was utilized to measure alexithymia levels.

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Main Results:

  • Medically ill patients demonstrated significantly higher scores on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) compared to the healthy control group.
  • Depressed mood and a diminished quality of life were the strongest predictors of alexithymia.
  • The severity of the medical illness itself was not a significant predictor of alexithymia.
  • Alexithymia was found to be distinct from self-reported mood states.

Conclusions:

  • The findings provide empirical support for the existence and concept of secondary alexithymia.
  • Alexithymia in medical patients appears to be more closely associated with psychological distress and quality of life than the illness's categorical diagnosis or severity.