Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of alexithymia in a population sample of young adults

We examined the prevalence of alexithymia and its associations with sociode mographic factors in a population cohort. The study forms part of the North ern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort. The original material consisted of all 12,05 8 live-born children in the provinces of Lapland and Oulu in Finland with a n expected delivery date during 1966. The material represents 96% of all bi rths in the region. In 1997, a 31-year follow-up study was conducted on a p art of the initial sample. The 20-item version of the Toronto Alexithymia S cale (TAS-20) was given to 5,993 subjects; 84% returned the questionnaire p roperly answered. It is known that alexithymia is associated with psycholog ical distress. This was measured with the 25-item version of the Hopkins Sy mptom Check List (HSCL-25). The prevalence of alexithymia (TAS-20 score > 6 0) was 9.4% in mate and 5.2% in female subjects. Alexithymia was associated with poor education and low income level and it was more common among unma rried subjects. After adjusting for psychological distress, these associati ons remained statistically significant. The prevalence of alexithymia was h igher in men than in women and alexithymia was associated with poor social situation. As far as we know, this was the first study to assess the preval ence of alexithymia and its associations with sociodemographic factors in a large and representative cohort sample, adjusted for psychological distres s. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.