SECONDARY ALEXITHYMIA AS A STATE REACTION IN PANIC DISORDER AND SOCIAL PHOBIA

In a 6-month follow-up study, a change in alexithymia was examined in two samples of 26 patients with panic disorder and 24 patients with so cial phobia, Before psychiatric treatment, the prevalence rate of alex ithymia, measured by the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), w as higher for both panic disorder (54%) and social phobia (58%) groups than for healthy persons (15%). After treatment, scores on the alexit hymia constructs of difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty des cribing feelings significantly decreased in panic disorder and social phobia patients. The overall decrease in measures of alexithymia in bo th groups was significantly related to reduction in anxiety, but not d epression. The results suggest that secondary alexithymia related to a nxiety exists as a state reaction in patients with panic disorder and social phobia. Copywright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.