title: Gastroesophageal reflux disease: alexithymia and attachment style.
abstract: Alexithymia and its relation with attachment style were evaluated in a group of 69 patients (men, M age = 46.4 yr., SD = 12.6; women, M age = 44.2 yr., SD = 14.4) affected by Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Two self-evaluation questionnaires were used for psychological evaluation, the 20 item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ). The TAS-20 analysis showed that the clinical sample taken as a whole did not score in the alexithymic range. The inverse correlations between the Confidence ASQ subscale and the Difficulty Communicating Feelings TAS-20 subscale showed that communication of emotions could develop more easily within the framework of a relational context characterized by safety and confidence. In this group of patients this was represented by the referent caregiver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farinelli
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ercolani
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trombini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bortolotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires