The Influence of Alexithymia on Alcohol Craving, Health-Related Quality of Life and Gender in Alcohol-Dependent Outpatients

Thorberg, Fred Arne; Hasking, Penelope; Huang, Ya‐Ling; Lyvers, Michael; Young, Ross McD.; Connor, Jason P.; London, Edythe D.; Feeney, Gerald F.X.

doi:10.1080/02791072.2020.1762022

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by three dimensions: difficulty identifying feelings (DIF), difficulty describing feelings (DDF), and externally oriented thinking (EOT) [6,7]. Alexithymia may also increase anxiety, depression, and stress, which can later become a predisposing factor to poor health and impaired quality of life along with inadequate social support [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of comprehensive nursing intervention based on self-disclosure on improving alexithymia in elder patients with coronary heart disease

Zhang

2022

BMC Nurs

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Objectives Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) experience stress and suffer from the risk of recurrence and death. Comprehensive nursing intervention based on self-disclosure (CNISD) is an interdisciplinary service and an effective approach to care that improves quality of life and alleviates suffering for patients with CHD. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of CNISD on alexithymia in patients with CHD. Methods A total of 1088 patients with CHD were recruited and received CNISD (n = 540) and usual care (n = 548). The quality of life, alexithymia, four statutory health insurance funds, recurrence, mortality, and satisfaction was compared in patients with CHD between CNISD and usual care group. Results Outcomes showed that CNISD improved sleep quality and quality of life, increased physical activity, reduced the hospital anxiety and depression scale in patients with CHD compared to usual care. Recurrence and mortality of patients with CHD were markedly improved by CNISD compared to patients with CHD in usual care group. Conclusions In conclusion, data in this study indicate that CNISD presents benefits in improving quality of life, physical activity, anxiety, depression, recurrence, and mortality for patients with CHD.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of comprehensive nursing intervention based on self-disclosure on improving alexithymia in elder patients with coronary heart disease

Zhang

2022

BMC Nurs

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“…Our findings demonstrate a higher risk for alexithymia among male patients, aligning with van't Wout et al's study on 43 schizophrenia patients (van't Wout et al, 2007). This result was echoed in studies of adolescents (Jafar et al, 2021), the general population (Lane et al, 1998; Li et al, 2022), and outpatients with alcohol use disorder (Thorberg et al, 2020). The higher risk of alexithymia in male patients might be explained as follows.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Alexithymia in Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia: Prevalence, clinical correlates, and relationship with neurocognition and empathy

Peng,

Wang,

Wang

et al. 2023

Asia-Pacific Psychiatry

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IntroductionAlexithymia is highly prevalent and strongly related to adverse consequences in patients with schizophrenia. However, its associated factors remain largely unexplored. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of alexithymia and its association with sociocultural characteristics, clinical symptoms, neurocognition, and empathy in 854 Chinese patients with schizophrenia.MethodDemographic information was collected through a self‐designed questionnaire. Alexithymia was assessed by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20). We assessed clinical symptoms, neurocognition, and empathy via the following instruments: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, and Interpersonal Reactivity Index. A multiple logistic regression model was conducted to determine the independent correlates of alexithymia.ResultsApproximately one‐third (n = 277, 32%) of patients with schizophrenia had alexithymia. Patients with alexithymia had significantly more severe negative symptoms, neurocognition, and empathy impairment than patients without alexithymia. Being male, negative symptoms, personal distress, empathic concern, and language functioning were independently associated with alexithymia.DiscussionOur findings demonstrate a high prevalence of alexithymia and its strong association with clinical symptoms, neurocognition, and empathy, which calls for timely screening and intervention for alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia. Targeting impaired language function, negative symptoms, and impaired affective empathy might help reduce alexithymia and its related negative consequences.

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“…A 2011 study (see [75]) showed a relationship between the DRD2 polymorphism (rs 1800497) and the development of alexithymia, which is associated with difficulties in awareness and self-regulation of emotions [75,78,79] and it seems that this trait could be related to the personality trait studied by us, which is "self-directed, including selfacceptance". People with alexithymia have less activation of "anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)", and thus process emotional stimuli differently [78,[80][81][82].…”

Section: Study Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Initial Study on COMT and DRD2 Gene Polymorphisms as Well as the Influence of Temperament and Character Trait on the Severity of Alcohol Craving in Alcohol-Dependent Patients

Czarnecki

Ziółkowski

Chodkiewicz

et al. 2021

JCM

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The main aim of this work was to determine the impact of COMT and DRD2 gene polymorphisms together with temperament and character traits on alcohol craving severity alcohol-dependent persons. The sample comprised of 89 men and 16 women (aged 38±7). For the sake of psychological assessment various analytic methods have been applied like the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD), Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) or Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) test. The SNP polymorphism of the analyzed genes was determined by Real Time PCR test. The results showed, that the COMT polymorphismmay have an indirected relationship with the intensity and changes in alcohol craving during abstinence. The DRD2 receptor gene polymorphisms are related with the intensity of alcohol craving. It seems that the character traits like “self-targeting”, including “self-acceptance”, are more closely related to the severity of alcohol craving and polymorphic changes in the DRD2 receptor than temperamental traits. Although this is a pilot study the obtained results appeared to be promising and clearly indicate the link betweengene polymorphisms alcohol craving and its severity.

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The Influence of Alexithymia on Alcohol Craving, Health-Related Quality of Life and Gender in Alcohol-Dependent Outpatients

Cited by 6 publications

References 47 publications

Effects of comprehensive nursing intervention based on self-disclosure on improving alexithymia in elder patients with coronary heart disease

Effects of comprehensive nursing intervention based on self-disclosure on improving alexithymia in elder patients with coronary heart disease

Alexithymia in Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia: Prevalence, clinical correlates, and relationship with neurocognition and empathy

Initial Study on COMT and DRD2 Gene Polymorphisms as Well as the Influence of Temperament and Character Trait on the Severity of Alcohol Craving in Alcohol-Dependent Patients

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