Alexithymia in patients with substance addiction being treated by cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy within Minnesota model treatment

Abstract

Background and aims:

Alexithymia is the incapacity to identify and describe one's own feelings. Our study questions whether alexithymia is a constant personality “trait” or a “state” phenomenon occurring in addicted patients. Our hypothesis is that this may change with cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy.

Method:

96 patients (69 male and 27 female) suffering from multiple substance addictions defined by DSM-IV criteria participated in group cognitive-behavioural treatment sessions, for a period of 8 weeks. The patients did not have concurrent psychotic and organic cerebral diseases, withdrawal syndrome, and were abstinent from psychoactive and substitution medication. Each patient was evaluated at the beginning of the first and the last week of psychotherapy according to Schalling-Sifneos Personality Scale Revised, State-Anxiety Inventory of Spilberger, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Hopelessness Scale. Duration of the addiction, educational and social-economic states were analysed.

Results:

60% of patients (44% of female and 67% of male) were established as alexithymic. These patients showed the highest scores in all psychometric tests compared with non-alexithymic patients.

After cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy the majority of the patients improved their scores and only 30% of patients (22% of female and 33% of male) remained alexithymic. There are correlations between alexithymia and the severity of anxiety-depression manifestations, the duration of addiction, the educational and social-economic states.

Conclusion:

Alexithymia is a “state” phenomenon within patients with substance addiction and can be improved with cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy.