PREDICTIVE VALUE OF ALEXITHYMIA - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY IN SOMATIZING PATIENTS

In the present study, the potential role of alexithymia in predicting the long-term treatment outcome was investigated prospectively in 30 p atients with DSM-III-R somatoform disorders and anxiety disorders. Usi ng SCID interviews, diagnoses were assessed before inpatient treatment and 2 years after discharge. Patients who met criteria for DSM-III-R undifferentiated somatoform disorder at follow-up exhibited higher pre treatment alexithymia scores (as measured by the TAS) as compared with patients who showed remission of their somatoform disorder or patient s who never had met criteria for a somatoform disorder. As a result st epwise logistic regression analyses, high alexithymia scores emerged a s a significant predictor of persistent somatization, independent of o ther measures of psychopathology, sociodemographic variables, and meas ures of illness severity.