Alexithymia and anxiety sensitivity in Turkish depressive, anxiety and somatoform disorder outpatients *
Authors:
Feryal Cam Celikel a;
Omer Saatcioglu b
| Affiliations: | a Gaziosmanpasa University School of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey |
| b Bakirkoy Research Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Alcohol and Drug Treatment and Research Center (Amatem), Istanbul, Turkey |
DOI:
10.1080/13651500600971521
Publication Frequency:
4 issues per year
Published in:
International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice,
Volume
11,
Issue
2
2007
, pages 140
- 145
First Published:
2007
Subjects:
Psychiatry;
Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology - Adult;
Formats available:
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Abstract
Objective. To assess the relations between anxiety sensitivity, and dimensions of alexithymia in somatoform, anxiety and depressive disorder patients. Methods. The sample consisted of 124 patients with the diagnosis of depressive, anxiety, or somatoform spectrum disorders (DSM-IV). Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), Hamilton Depression (HDRS), and Anxiety (HAS) scales were used. Results. The total sample (n=124) was divided into three diagnostic categories. There was one Depression Group (n=69). Due to small sample sizes, diagnoses in anxiety and somatoform spectrum disorders were combined in two relatively larger Anxiety (n=42) and Somatoform Groups (n=13) for statistical purposes. No statistically significant difference was found in the TAS-20 total or subscale scores between the three diagnostic groups. In all three diagnostic groups, there was a strong and significant positive correlation between ASI and TAS-20 total scores. In all three groups, there was a significant positive correlation between TAS-20 Factor 1 and ASI. In the Depression and Somatoform Groups, ASI scores were found to be significantly positively correlated with scores on TAS-20 Factor 2. Conclusion. This study reveals that alexithymia does not differentiate depressive, anxiety, or somatoform disorders, yet suggests a functional relation with anxiety sensitivity on a subscale basis.
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*
This study has been presented in part as a poster presentation at the 17th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 9–13 October 2004, Stockholm, Sweden.
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| Keywords: Alexithymia; depression; anxiety; somatoform; anxiety sensitivity |
| view references (40) |


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