A controlled study of alexithymia in adolescent patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To study the differences in levels of alexithymia, depression, and anxiety between a sample of adolescents diagnosed with ICD-10 persistent somatoform pain disorder (defined by the DSM-IV as a pain disorder associated with psychological factors) and healthy adolescent control subjects.


METHODS
Using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, we investigated the point prevalence of alexithymia, anxiety, and depression among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, with somatoform disorder, who were hospitalized in Kaunas Medical University Hospital, Lithuania (n =120), and a healthy control group (n = 60) of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, who were randomly selected from 6 schools in Kaunas, Lithuania.


RESULTS
The rate of alexithymia in adolescents with somatoform disorder was 59%, which was significantly higher than that in healthy control subjects (1%, P < 0.001). Similarly, the rate of anxiety was significantly higher in the patient group (62%), compared with control subjects (15%, P < 0.001). The rate of depression was low in both groups and did not differ significantly between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents with somatoform disorder have higher levels of alexithymia and anxiety than healthy adolescent control subjects, but adolescents with somatoform disorder and adolescent control subjects do not have significantly different levels of depression.
Burba
Benjaminas
B
Department of Psychiatry, Kaunas Medical University Hospital, Lithuania.
Oswald
Ronald
R
Grigaliunien
Viktorija
V
Neverauskiene
Simona
S
Jankuviene
Odeta
O
Chue
Pierre
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology