Alexithymia and life satisfaction in primary healthcare patients.
The relationship between life satisfaction and alexithymia was studied in a sample of 229 patients as a part of a naturalistic follow-up study of depression in Finnish primary health care. The measures were the abbreviated Life Satisfaction Scale and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Depression was assessed by telephone with the short form of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Of all subjects, 19.2% were alexithymic, and 9.2% were depressed. Alexithymia was negatively associated with life satisfaction even when depression and other confounding factors were controlled for. Alexithymia is a risk factor for life dissatisfaction in primary-care patients.
Mattila
Aino K
AK
Tampere School of Public Health, FIN-33014, Tampere, Finland. aino.mattila@uta.fi
Poutanen
Outi
O
Koivisto
Anna-Maija
AM
Salokangas
Raimo K R
RK
Joukamaa
Matti
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile