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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

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Open Access 01-12-2023 | Eating Disorder | Research

The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients

Authors: Francesca Marazzi, Marika Orlandi, Valentina De Giorgis, Renato Borgatti, Martina Maria Mensi

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2023

Abstract

Background

Alexithymia is the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Adolescents who suffer from Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs) show a higher prevalence of alexithymia than the general population.

Methods

The study explored the correlation between levels of alexithymia in mothers, fathers, and adolescents affected by REDs and patients’ ability to recognize their emotions. The study also aimed to evaluate if patients’ emotional distress can significantly impact the severity of their disorder and functioning measured by the Clinical Global Impression Scale - Severity (CGI-S) and the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS). We enrolled 67 families of adolescents affected by REDs. Parents and patients’ levels of alexithymia were assessed through the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Spearman’s correlation shows a statistically significant correlation between mothers and patients’ levels of alexithymia.

Results

Our findings also suggest that fathers and mothers’ TAS scores correlate with each other. However, there is no statistically significant relationship between the influence of the TAS scores of fathers and sons/daughters.

Conclusions

In conclusion, mothers’ level of alexithymia could influence both fathers and patients’ difficulty in identifying and describing their own emotions. This relationship can be investigated further when considering externally oriented thinking. However, the severity of the disease and overall functioning do not appear to be affected by patients’ levels of alexithymia.

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Title: The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients
Authors: Francesca Marazzi
Marika Orlandi
Valentina De Giorgis
Renato Borgatti
Martina Maria Mensi
Publication date: 01-12-2023
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Eating Disorder
Eating Disorder
Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00692-x

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

The impact of family alexithymia on the severity of restrictive eating disorders in adolescent patients

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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