Alexithymia, Hostility and Depression in Patients Suffering from Somatic Diseases

Purpose: To investigate the presence of Alexithymia, Hostility and Depression in patients suffering from acute and chronic somatic illnesses. Methodology: 210 individuals participated: 55 patients with acute somatic illnesses, 47 patients with chronic somatic illnesses and 108 healthy subjects. They were assessed with the Beck Depression Index (BDI-21), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire (HDHQ). Data selected and analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). Results: Chronic somatic patients exhibited higher scores on Depression and Alexithymia, compared to acute somatic patients (plt.000), while acute somatic patients exhibited higher Hostility scores, compared to chronic patients (plt.000). Both groups exhibited higher Depression, Alexithymia and Hostility scores compared to healthy subjects (plt.000). Conclusions: Psychiatric symptomatologynbsp in patients suffering from chronic somatic illnesses differs from psychiatric symptomatologynbsp in patients suffering from acute somatic illnesses, when Depression, Alexithymia and Hostility were examined. nbs