Abstract:
The association between alexithymia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms has been demonstrated in several studies, but never in victims of a collective trauma such as a natural disaster, which has an impact on an entire community.
The aim was to assess the relationship between alexithymia and post-traumatic symptoms in a group of people who lived in L’Aquila exposed to the earthquake that hit the town in 2009.
Eighty-seven participants were included and assessed for alexithymia, PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and psychiatric symptoms. Linear regression models were used to test the hypothesis.
The main finding was an association between "Difficulty-Describing-Feelings" and the intensity of post-traumatic symptoms in the worst month after trauma. Depression, anxiety and psychiatric comorbidity also showed a significant association with PTSD symptoms.
In the present study of a collectively shared trauma, the alexithymic factor "difficulty-describing-feelings" was significantly associated with the intensity of post-traumatic symptoms."
Angelini Viviana
Sanita