The objective of the present study was to assess alexithymia by means of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and The Emotion Protocol (EP) in a group of refugees. Eighty-six subjects were willing to participate. At last follow-up, 33 non-PTSD and 22 PTSD subjects had complete data. Subjects with PTSD had higher scores on the TAS-20 (F = 4.314, df = 77, p = 0.041), but on the subscale level, this was significant only with regard to Factor I, difficulties identifying feelings (F = 5.316, df = 77, p = 0.024). TAS Factor I and to a lower extent TAS Factor II (difficulties naming feelings) were significantly associated with the self-rated presence of dysphoric affects. At follow-up, an increase in TAS Factor I score was associated with increased prevalence of self-rated symptoms of PTSD, but not depression. Decrease in prolactin was associated with significant increase of TAS Factor I (rho = -0.396, n = 54, p = 0.003). The present study indicates that alexithymia as measured by TAS-20 is indeed associated with symptoms of PTSD. This association is almost exclusively explained by the TAS Factor I subscale and is in turn associated with a high level of self-reported dysphoric affect. The longitudinal inverse correlation with prolactin points to the possibility of an underlying disturbance in serotonergic and/or dopaminergic systems. The results thus indicate that secondary, or post-traumatic, alexithymia is a measure of suppressed or warded-off negative affects. © 2004 Taylor & Francis.

Post-traumatic stress disorder Alexithymia Affective symptoms

rating scale symptomatology clinical protocol depression longitudinal study refugee alexithymia Emotions follow up human Longitudinal Studies psychologic assessment Refugees middle aged dopaminergic system serotoninergic system controlled study Iraq correlation function affect Depressive Disorder Affective Symptoms statistical significance Cross-Sectional Studies Sweden Humans male female Personality Inventory Reproducibility of Results self concept emotional disorder prevalence Incidence Psychometrics Article scoring system dysphoria major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder data analysis Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic prolactin