title: Alexithymia in psychiatric consultation-liaison patients.
abstract: Alexithymic characteristics were assessed by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), a self-report measure of alexithymia, in 230 consecutive outpatients referred to a psychiatric consultation-liaison service. The prevalence of alexithymia was 37.8% (50.5% in men and 28.2% in women). Alexithymia was significantly associated with the following variables: male gender, low socioeconomic status, the presence of psychiatric disorder, especially depression, with old age and with a high level of psychological distress. No significant association between alexithymia and the presence of somatic illness was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saarijärvi
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamminen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aärelä
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors