Comparison of Alexithymia, General Health and Coping Strategies Between Patients With Dermatologic Diseases and Control Group



Afshar H¹ ; Adibi N² ; Afshari A³ ; Rohani S⁴ ; Saberi F⁴ Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Isfahan Medical School Published:2013

Abstract

Background: People, who can identify, understand and express their inner feelings well, cope with negative experiences and adapt with environment and other people successfully. Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulty in identifying, describing and regulating feelings. Patients with alexithymia, who cannot cope with stress, somatize their emotional disturbance in a variety of medical disorders, particularly dermatologic diseases. Methods: In this prospective case-control study, 63 eligible subjects referring to dermatology clinics of Isfahan University of Medical sciences (Isfahan, Iran) were selected by convenience sampling method and implied case group. Control group was selected from normal population without any skin problem. The General health questionnaire (GHQ), Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20) and Coping response index (CRI) were used to compare the variables between the groups. Findings: Alexithymia had association with dermatologic diseases while CRI and GHQ scores showed no significant difference between the groups of case and control. Conclusion: Present research suggests that in the treatment of dermatologic diseases, psychological problems should be considered. Dermatologist should be aware of alexithymia association with an underlying dermatologic disease.