title: Relationships among alexithymia, adverse childhood experiences, sociodemographic variables, and actual mood disorder: a 2-year clinical follow-up study of patients with major depressive disorder.
abstract: This 2-year follow-up study examined relationships among alexithymia, adverse childhood experiences, sociodemographic variables, and actual mood disorder among patients with major depressive disorder (N=106). Alexithymia was assessed with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), depression with the Beck Depression Inventory, and actual mood disorder with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. A questionnaire that assessed sociodemographic characteristics and adverse childhood experiences was also used. Long-lasting alexithymic features were associated with blue-collar work, harsh discipline, unhappiness of the childhood home, depression at 12 months, and major depressive disorder diagnosis at 24 months. Furthermore, the results showed that alexithymic features could also be situational reactions to depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. kirsi.honkalampi@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honkalampi
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koivumaa-Honkanen
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Antikainen
authors.forename: Kaisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haatainen
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hintikka
authors.forename: Heimo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Viinamäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011584:Psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology