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The Journal of Headache and Pain
Published in: The Journal of Headache and Pain 1/2011

Open Access 01-02-2011 | Original

Alexithymia in juvenile primary headache sufferers: a pilot study

Authors: Michela Gatta, Elisabetta Canetta, Maria Zordan, Andrea Spoto, Emilia Ferruzza, Irene Manco, Alessandra Addis, Lara Dal Zotto, Irene Toldo, Stefano Sartori, Pier Antonio Battistella

Published in: The Journal of Headache and Pain | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Starting in the 1990s, there has been accumulating evidence of alexithymic characteristics in adult patients with primary headache. Little research has been conducted, however, on the relationship between alexithymia and primary headache in developmental age. In their research on alexithymia in the formative years, the authors identified one of the most promising prospects for research, as discussed here. The aim of this study was to verify whether there is: (a) a link between tension-type headache and alexithymia in childhood and early adolescence; and (b) a correlation between alexithymia in children/preadolescents and their mothers. This study was based on an experimental group of 32 patients (26 females and 6 males, aged from 8 to 15 years, mean 11.2 ± 2.0) suffering from tension-type headache and 32 control subjects (26 females and 6 males, aged from 8 to 15 years, mean 11.8 ± 1.6). Tension-type headache was diagnosed by applying the International Headache Classification (ICHD-II, 2004). The alexithymic construct was measured using an Italian version of the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children in the case of the juvenile patients and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) for their mothers. Higher rates of alexithymia were observed in the children/preadolescents in the experimental group (EG) than in the control group; in the EG there was no significant correlation between the alexithymia rates in the children/preadolescents and in their mothers.
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Metadata
Title
Alexithymia in juvenile primary headache sufferers: a pilot study
Authors
Michela Gatta
Elisabetta Canetta
Maria Zordan
Andrea Spoto
Emilia Ferruzza
Irene Manco
Alessandra Addis
Lara Dal Zotto
Irene Toldo
Stefano Sartori
Pier Antonio Battistella
Publication date
01-02-2011
Publisher
Springer Milan
Published in
The Journal of Headache and Pain / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 1129-2369
Electronic ISSN: 1129-2377
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-010-0248-6

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