title: Interpersonal problems in alexithymia: A study in three primary care groups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the relation between alexithymia and interpersonal problems in a sample of primary care patients with either chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); a chronic cardiovascular or auto-immune disease; or a minor medical condition. It was hypothesized that the relation between cold interpersonal functioning would account for the differences in alexithymia scores between the patient groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 155 primary care patients that were recruited through 52 general practitioners: 52 CFS patients; 52 patients with a chronic cardiovascular or auto-immune disease; 51 patients with a minor medical condition. Interpersonal problems were assessed by means of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems and alexithymia was assessed by means of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CFS patients and patients with a chronic cardiovascular or auto-immune disease have substantially higher alexithymia scores than patients with a minor medical condition. Alexithymia is positively related to cold and distant interpersonal functioning; negatively related to self-sacrificing and overly accommodating in relation to others; and positively related to vindictiveness and self-centredness. The relation between alexithymia and these interpersonal problems accounts for the differences in alexithymia scores between the patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alexithymia and interpersonal problems should be considered together, in terms of one deficient affect regulatory system, and the relation between alexithymia and specific illness conditions is secondary to this. Clinical assessment of patients with problems in naming and discussing affective states should never be isolated from an examination of their interpersonal problems, and vice versa. Mentalization-based therapy is recommended for patients with problems in naming affective states, interpersonal problems, and concomitant CFS or other alexithymia-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanheule
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandenbergen
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verhaeghe
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desmet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report