title: Alexithymia and suicide ideation in a sample of patients with binge eating disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the relationships between alexithymia and suicide ideation in 80 adult outpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of binge eating disorder (BED).
  
  
  METHODS
  Alexithymia was measured with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20); suicide ideation was assessed with the Scale of Suicide Ideation (SSI); severity of BED was assessed with the Binge Eating Scale (BES); and depressive and anxiety symptoms were evaluated, respectively, with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (Ham-A).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of current suicide ideation was 27.5% (n = 22) in this sample and 10 subjects (12.5%) had attempted suicide at some time in their lives. Subjects with alexithymia had more significant suicide ideation, a higher prevalence of current suicide ideation, and more previous suicide attempts than those without alexithymia. In a linear regression model, higher MADRS scores and higher scores on the Difficulty in Identifying Feelings/Difficulty in Describing Feelings dimensions of the TAS-20 were associated with increased suicide ideation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suicidal behavior is no less common in BED than in other eating disorders. Individuals with BED may show increased suicide ideation, especially in the presence of alexithymia and depressive symptoms, even if these symptoms are subclinical. The authors also discuss limitations of this study and future research needs.
authors.affiliation: University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti, and Hospital "C. G. Mazzoni" Ascoli Piceno, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carano
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Berardis
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Serroni
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Iorio
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Acciavatti
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinotti
authors.forename: Francesco Saverio
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Moschetta
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Giannantonio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data