The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients
Abstract Background Alexithymia is the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Adolescents who suffer from Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs) show a higher prevalence of alexithymia than the general population. Methods The study explored the correlation between levels of alexithymia...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00692-x |
| _version_ | 1797377199769124864 |
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| author | Francesca Marazzi Marika Orlandi Valentina De Giorgis Renato Borgatti Martina Maria Mensi |
| author_facet | Francesca Marazzi Marika Orlandi Valentina De Giorgis Renato Borgatti Martina Maria Mensi |
| author_sort | Francesca Marazzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Alexithymia is the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Adolescents who suffer from Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs) show a higher prevalence of alexithymia than the general population. Methods The study explored the correlation between levels of alexithymia in mothers, fathers, and adolescents affected by REDs and patients’ ability to recognize their emotions. The study also aimed to evaluate if patients’ emotional distress can significantly impact the severity of their disorder and functioning measured by the Clinical Global Impression Scale - Severity (CGI-S) and the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS). We enrolled 67 families of adolescents affected by REDs. Parents and patients’ levels of alexithymia were assessed through the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Spearman’s correlation shows a statistically significant correlation between mothers and patients’ levels of alexithymia. Results Our findings also suggest that fathers and mothers’ TAS scores correlate with each other. However, there is no statistically significant relationship between the influence of the TAS scores of fathers and sons/daughters. Conclusions In conclusion, mothers’ level of alexithymia could influence both fathers and patients’ difficulty in identifying and describing their own emotions. This relationship can be investigated further when considering externally oriented thinking. However, the severity of the disease and overall functioning do not appear to be affected by patients’ levels of alexithymia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:49:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6ad7fdfd6265477eb64842bb6f793066 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1753-2000 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:49:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-6ad7fdfd6265477eb64842bb6f7930662023-12-24T12:10:04ZengBMCChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health1753-20002023-12-0117111010.1186/s13034-023-00692-xThe impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patientsFrancesca Marazzi0Marika Orlandi1Valentina De Giorgis2Renato Borgatti3Martina Maria Mensi4Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of PaviaDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of PaviaDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of PaviaDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of PaviaChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino FoundationAbstract Background Alexithymia is the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Adolescents who suffer from Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs) show a higher prevalence of alexithymia than the general population. Methods The study explored the correlation between levels of alexithymia in mothers, fathers, and adolescents affected by REDs and patients’ ability to recognize their emotions. The study also aimed to evaluate if patients’ emotional distress can significantly impact the severity of their disorder and functioning measured by the Clinical Global Impression Scale - Severity (CGI-S) and the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS). We enrolled 67 families of adolescents affected by REDs. Parents and patients’ levels of alexithymia were assessed through the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Spearman’s correlation shows a statistically significant correlation between mothers and patients’ levels of alexithymia. Results Our findings also suggest that fathers and mothers’ TAS scores correlate with each other. However, there is no statistically significant relationship between the influence of the TAS scores of fathers and sons/daughters. Conclusions In conclusion, mothers’ level of alexithymia could influence both fathers and patients’ difficulty in identifying and describing their own emotions. This relationship can be investigated further when considering externally oriented thinking. However, the severity of the disease and overall functioning do not appear to be affected by patients’ levels of alexithymia.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00692-xAlexithymiaFamilyRestrictive eating disordersToronto Alexithymia Scale |
| spellingShingle | Francesca Marazzi Marika Orlandi Valentina De Giorgis Renato Borgatti Martina Maria Mensi The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health Alexithymia Family Restrictive eating disorders Toronto Alexithymia Scale |
| title | The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients |
| title_full | The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients |
| title_fullStr | The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients |
| title_short | The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients |
| title_sort | impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients |
| topic | Alexithymia Family Restrictive eating disorders Toronto Alexithymia Scale |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00692-x |
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