ANHEDONIA, ALEXITHYMIA AND LOCUS OF CONTROL IN UNIPOLAR MAJOR DEPRESSIVE-DISORDERS

The relationship between anhedonia, alexithymia and locus of control w as studied in a group of healthy subjects (n = 56) and in a group of u nipolar major depressives (n = 59). These dimensions were rated using the Physical Anhedonia Scale (PAS), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS ) and the Internal Powerful others and Chance Scale. The unipolar majo r depressives were divided into two subgroups using the endogenomorphi c subscale of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. There are respecti vely 25 and 17 depressives in the nonendogenomorphic (NENDO) and endog enomorphic (ENDO) subgroups. The unipolar major depressives were signi ficantly more anhedonic, alexithymic and externalized than the control s. In the ENDO group the PAS and TAS Feelings scores were positively c orrelated suggesting that a third variable of emotional deficit could characterize endogenomorphic depression. In the NENDO group the PAS, T AS Daydreaming, Powerful others and Chance scores were positively corr elated. In nonendogenomorphic depression anhedonia could be related to a poverty of imagery and could be interpreted as a consequence of ext ernal causes.