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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of alexithymia in alcohol dependents compared to the healthy controls and to investigate the relationship of alexithymia with depression, anxiety, and erectile dysfunction in alcohol dependents.
METHOD: As a study sample 82 male alcohol dependent patients who finished detoxification process according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and as a control group 48 subjects who do not abuse alcohol or substance matched for gender and age were included in the study. Subjects were interviewed by using a semi-structured socio-demographic form, all the modules of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SClD-I), 17 item-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), International Index of Erectile Function, Toronto Alexitymia Scale (TAS).
RESULTS: Fifty six percent of the alcohol dependents were estimated as alexithymic according to the cut off point (>11), while this ratio was 25% for control group. Mean score of TAS-26 in alcohol dependents (11.01±4.6) were significantly higher than the control group (7.33±4.39). While there were no significant differences in terms of sociodemographic variables between alexithymic and non-alexithymic groups, education level was found to be lower in alexithymic alcohol dependents. Suicide attempt history and smoking were found to be lower in non-alexithymic group. Having diagnosis of any axis I disorder and erectile dysfunction were found to be higher among alexithymic group. In terms of having a diagnosis of depression according to HDRS, lifetime depression, current depression and any anxiety disorder according to SCID-I there was no significant difference between two groups. Mean total score of HDRS, HAM-A and BHS in alexithymic group were significantly higher than non-alexithymic group. Mean total score of MAST did not show any difference. While there were positive correlations between TAS-26 scores and number of axis I diagnoses, erectile dysfunction total score, level of erectile dysfunction and other scales, there were no correlation between TAS-26 scores and age and MAST scores.
CONCLUSION: The higher rate of alexithymia found in alcohol dependents than control group, suggests that special attention must be given to identify alexithymia in this group. Researches must be done to find out negative effects of alexithymia on alcohol dependence. Follow up studies related to alexithymia in this population is not only important for finding the effects on outcome, but also important for finding the relationship between alexithymia and depression and anxiety.
FINDINGS in this study showed that there is a relationship between alexithymia and erectile dysfunction seen in alcohol dependents.
Language: tr |