TY - JOUR
T1 - Alexithymia in anorexia nervosa
T2 - The mediating role of depression
AU - Torres, Sandra
AU - Guerra, Marina Prista
AU - Lencastre, Leonor
AU - Miller, Kylee
AU - Vieira, Filipa Mucha
AU - Roma-Torres, António
AU - Brandão, Isabel
AU - Costa, Patrício
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
PY - 2015/1/30
Y1 - 2015/1/30
N2 - The role of depression in the expression of alexithymia in anorexia nervosa (AN) has been controversially explained and several variables that may mask or increase the presence of emotional difficulties have scant examination in previous studies. This study aims to analyze the associations between alexithymia and state variables, such as age, BMI, illness duration, treatment duration, and medication status in AN participants, and to test the mediating role of depression in emotional difficulties. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale were administrated to 160 females: 80 participants with AN and 80 healthy controls. High levels of alexithymia were not a function of state variables. The mediating role of depression differed by the alexithymia dimension, with total mediation found for the TAS-DDF and partial mediation found for the TAS-DIF. Alexithymia is a relevant feature throughout the spectrum of AN and does not seem to be related to developmental maturation and some clinical features. Depression is probably the variable that best accounts for the variance in alexithymia, but is not a complete explanation for the known cognitive-affective disturbances in AN. Specific emotional competencies require scrutiny during psychiatric treatment.
AB - The role of depression in the expression of alexithymia in anorexia nervosa (AN) has been controversially explained and several variables that may mask or increase the presence of emotional difficulties have scant examination in previous studies. This study aims to analyze the associations between alexithymia and state variables, such as age, BMI, illness duration, treatment duration, and medication status in AN participants, and to test the mediating role of depression in emotional difficulties. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale were administrated to 160 females: 80 participants with AN and 80 healthy controls. High levels of alexithymia were not a function of state variables. The mediating role of depression differed by the alexithymia dimension, with total mediation found for the TAS-DDF and partial mediation found for the TAS-DIF. Alexithymia is a relevant feature throughout the spectrum of AN and does not seem to be related to developmental maturation and some clinical features. Depression is probably the variable that best accounts for the variance in alexithymia, but is not a complete explanation for the known cognitive-affective disturbances in AN. Specific emotional competencies require scrutiny during psychiatric treatment.
KW - Alexithymia
KW - Body mass index
KW - Eating disorders
KW - Emotional difficulties
KW - Illness duration
KW - Mediation
KW - Medication status
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U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.10.023
DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.10.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 25467697
AN - SCOPUS:84916618750
SN - 0165-1781
VL - 225
SP - 99
EP - 107
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
IS - 1-2
ER -