Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life
Background: Alexithymia frequently correlates with several psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder (SUD). However, most studies reporting the associations between alexithymia and psychiatric disorders have been performed in populations without SUD. This research, therefore, evaluates...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.659063/full |
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| author | Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Marta Perea-Ortueta Marta Perea-Ortueta Pedro Serrano-Pérez Pedro Serrano-Pérez Pedro Serrano-Pérez Nieves Martínez-Luna Anna Salas-Martínez María Robles-Martínez María Robles-Martínez Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Carlos Roncero Carlos Roncero Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López |
| author_facet | Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Marta Perea-Ortueta Marta Perea-Ortueta Pedro Serrano-Pérez Pedro Serrano-Pérez Pedro Serrano-Pérez Nieves Martínez-Luna Anna Salas-Martínez María Robles-Martínez María Robles-Martínez Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Carlos Roncero Carlos Roncero Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López |
| author_sort | Raul F. Palma-Álvarez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Alexithymia frequently correlates with several psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder (SUD). However, most studies reporting the associations between alexithymia and psychiatric disorders have been performed in populations without SUD. This research, therefore, evaluates alexithymia in Spanish patients with SUD and the relationship among alexithymia, psychiatric comorbidities, psychological symptoms/traits, SUD variables, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 126 Spanish outpatients with SUD (75.4% males; mean age 43.72 ± 14.61 years), correlating their alexithymia levels (using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20 [TAS-20]) to their psychiatric comorbidities, psychological symptoms/traits, SUD variables, and HRQoL.Results: Alexithymia was significantly higher in patients who had cannabis use disorder. Higher alexithymia scores were also related to higher levels of depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and lower HRQoL. After multivariate analysis, trait anxiety, impulsivity, and the physical component summary of the HRQoL were found to be independently related to alexithymia.Conclusions: SUD patients with higher alexithymia levels have more frequently psychiatric comorbidities, present specific psychological features, and have worse HRQoL. Hence, it is important to evaluate these factors and offer more accurate psychotherapeutic approaches for this patient population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T10:25:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dce8bbda99ce4e4f8ec8d96e2a496d25 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T10:25:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-dce8bbda99ce4e4f8ec8d96e2a496d252022-12-21T23:06:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-04-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.659063659063Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of LifeRaul F. Palma-Álvarez0Raul F. Palma-Álvarez1Raul F. Palma-Álvarez2Raul F. Palma-Álvarez3Elena Ros-Cucurull4Elena Ros-Cucurull5Elena Ros-Cucurull6Elena Ros-Cucurull7Constanza Daigre8Constanza Daigre9Constanza Daigre10Constanza Daigre11Marta Perea-Ortueta12Marta Perea-Ortueta13Pedro Serrano-Pérez14Pedro Serrano-Pérez15Pedro Serrano-Pérez16Nieves Martínez-Luna17Anna Salas-Martínez18María Robles-Martínez19María Robles-Martínez20Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga21Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga22Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga23Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga24Carlos Roncero25Carlos Roncero26Lara Grau-López27Lara Grau-López28Lara Grau-López29Lara Grau-López30Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainBiomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainBiomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainBiomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainInstitute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions (INAD), Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, SpainHospital del Mar Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIM), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainBiomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, SpainPsychiatry Service, University of Salamanca Health Care Complex, Insitute of Biomedicine, Salamanca, SpainPsychiatry Unit, School of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, SpainGroup of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, SpainBiomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, SpainBackground: Alexithymia frequently correlates with several psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder (SUD). However, most studies reporting the associations between alexithymia and psychiatric disorders have been performed in populations without SUD. This research, therefore, evaluates alexithymia in Spanish patients with SUD and the relationship among alexithymia, psychiatric comorbidities, psychological symptoms/traits, SUD variables, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 126 Spanish outpatients with SUD (75.4% males; mean age 43.72 ± 14.61 years), correlating their alexithymia levels (using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20 [TAS-20]) to their psychiatric comorbidities, psychological symptoms/traits, SUD variables, and HRQoL.Results: Alexithymia was significantly higher in patients who had cannabis use disorder. Higher alexithymia scores were also related to higher levels of depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and lower HRQoL. After multivariate analysis, trait anxiety, impulsivity, and the physical component summary of the HRQoL were found to be independently related to alexithymia.Conclusions: SUD patients with higher alexithymia levels have more frequently psychiatric comorbidities, present specific psychological features, and have worse HRQoL. Hence, it is important to evaluate these factors and offer more accurate psychotherapeutic approaches for this patient population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.659063/fullalexithymiaanxietydepressionhealth-related quality of lifeimpulsivitysubstance use disorder |
| spellingShingle | Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Raul F. Palma-Álvarez Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Elena Ros-Cucurull Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Constanza Daigre Marta Perea-Ortueta Marta Perea-Ortueta Pedro Serrano-Pérez Pedro Serrano-Pérez Pedro Serrano-Pérez Nieves Martínez-Luna Anna Salas-Martínez María Robles-Martínez María Robles-Martínez Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. Ramos-Quiroga Carlos Roncero Carlos Roncero Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Lara Grau-López Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life Frontiers in Psychiatry alexithymia anxiety depression health-related quality of life impulsivity substance use disorder |
| title | Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life |
| title_full | Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life |
| title_fullStr | Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life |
| title_short | Alexithymia in Patients With Substance Use Disorders and Its Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life |
| title_sort | alexithymia in patients with substance use disorders and its relationship with psychiatric comorbidities and health related quality of life |
| topic | alexithymia anxiety depression health-related quality of life impulsivity substance use disorder |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.659063/full |
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