Alexithymia in women and men hospitalized for psychoactive substance dependence

Self-report alexithymia, depression, and anxiety inventories were completed by 204 (84 women and 120 men) psychoactive substance-dependent patients during their first week of hospitalization. Eighty-five of the 204 patients (41.7%) scored in the alexithymic range on the revised Toronto Alexithymia S...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Comprehensive psychiatry 1994-03, Vol.35 (2), p.124-128
Main Authors: Haviland, Mark G., Hendryx, Michael S., Shaw, Dale G., Henry, James P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Affective Symptoms - diagnosis
Affective Symptoms - etiology
Biological and medical sciences
Drug addiction
Female
Hospitalization
Hospitals, Psychiatric
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Psychological Tests
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychotropic Drugs
Self-Assessment
Sex Factors
Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology
Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
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Summary:Self-report alexithymia, depression, and anxiety inventories were completed by 204 (84 women and 120 men) psychoactive substance-dependent patients during their first week of hospitalization. Eighty-five of the 204 patients (41.7%) scored in the alexithymic range on the revised Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Women's average alexithymia, depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]), and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State [STAI-S]) scores were higher than men's average scores. Ethnic (Hispanic whites v non-Hispanic whites) and diagnostic (alcohol v drug v mixed-substance dependence) group differences were not significant. To examine the interrelationships among alexithymia, depression, and anxiety, a causal model confirmed in medical students was tested. The model was reconfirmed; state anxiety predicted depression and alexithymia, and depression predicted alexithymia. These findings are consistent with previous research and compatible with the view that a state of alexithymia can result from severe anxiety and depression.
ISSN:0010-440X
1532-8384
DOI:10.1016/0010-440X(94)90056-N