ALEXITHYMIA IN SUICIDE ATTEMPTERS

Alexithymia seems to share some common features with psychological con striction, a phenomenon described in suicidal individuals. Fifty suici de attempters were interviewed within 24 h after arrival at a hospital , and measures of lethality of the attempt, suicidal intent, depressio n and alexithymia were carried out with structured instruments. Almost all the attempters were depressive, and about half of them were also alexithymic. However, alexithymia was not more prevalent in this popul ation than in non-suicidal depressive patients. Depression and alexith ymia correlated significantly with each other, but there was no correl ation between alexithymia and lethality of the suicide attempt or suic idal intent. The authors conclude that alexithymia in suicide attempte rs seems to be associated with depression, but not with suicidality pe r se. Therefore, measurement of alexithymia may not yield extra inform ation in suicide risk assessment.