Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 78, Issue 1, 2015, Pages 77-81

The association between alexithymia and posttraumatic stress symptoms following multiple exposures to traumatic events in North Korean refugees (Article)

Park J. , Jun J.Y. , Lee Y.J. , Kim S.* , Lee S.-H. , Yoo S.Y. , Kim S.J.
  • a Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
  • b Department of Psychiatry, Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugee, Ansung, South Korea
  • c Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
  • d Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea; J., Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea, Department of Medical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
  • e Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • f Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • g [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the interaction between the number of traumas experienced and alexithymia, on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods: The sample comprised 199 North Korean refugees. Participants completed the Trauma Exposure Check List for North Korean Refugees, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: TAS-20 scores were positively correlated with IES-R scores (. r=. 0.21, p<. 0.01), after controlling for gender, age, and CES-D scores. The number of traumas experienced was also positively correlated with IES-R scores (. r=. 0.32, p<. 0.001), but not with TAS-20 scores, after controlling for gender, age, and CES-D scores. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed a significant interaction between the number of traumas experienced and TAS-20 scores, for IES-R scores (. t=. 2.10, p<. 0.05). Moderation analysis further revealed that TAS-20 scores moderate the relationship between the number of traumas experienced and IES-R scores (. t=. 2.90, p<. 0.01). For refugees with higher TAS-20 scores, those who had experienced more traumas had higher IES-R scores. However, within refugees with lower TAS-20 scores, IES-R scores were not significantly different for those who had experienced a higher number of traumas compared with those who had experienced a lower, or average, number of traumas. Conclusion: The results of the current study suggest that, as individuals experience more traumatic events, clearly identifying and expressing emotions become more crucial for reducing PTSD symptoms. © 2014 Elsevier Inc.

Author Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorder Refugees Alexithymia trauma

Index Keywords

personal experience refugee Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale Democratic People's Republic of Korea Toronto Alexithymia scale Verbal Behavior alexithymia Emotions complication human Life Change Events Refugees middle aged Asian continental ancestry group statistics and numerical data life event Affective Symptoms checklist ethnology Humans psychology male female North Korea emotional disorder scoring system Article emotion major clinical study adult gender posttraumatic stress disorder age Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84916619910&doi=10.1016%2fj.jpsychores.2014.09.007&partnerID=40&md5=e36f4848280be748968df61a0d35bd43
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.09.007
ISSN: 00223999
Cited by: 15
Original Language: English