title: Predictive value of alexithymia: a prospective study in somatizing patients.
abstract: In the present study, the potential role of alexithymia in predicting the long-term treatment outcome was investigated prospectively in 30 patients with DSM-III-R somatoform disorders and anxiety disorders. Using SCID interviews, diagnoses were assessed before inpatient treatment and 2 years after discharge. Patients who met criteria for DSM-III-R undifferentiated somatoform disorder at follow-up exhibited higher pretreatment alexithymia scores (as measured by the TAS) as compared with patients who showed remission of their somatoform disorder or patients who never had met criteria for a somatoform disorder. As a result stepwise logistic regression analyses, high alexithymia scores emerged as a significant predictor of persistent somatization, independent of other measures of psychopathology, sociodemographic variables, and measures of illness severity.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012803:Sick Role; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome