Alexithymia and posttraumatic stress disorder following epileptic seizure

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Psychiatric Quarterly

Publication Date

9-1-2013

Abstract

This study investigated (1) the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder following epileptic seizure (post-epileptic seizure PTSD) and psychiatric co-morbidity and (2) the extent to which alexithymia traits related to the severity of the preceding outcomes. Seventy-one people with epilepsy participated in the study and completed the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The control group comprised 71 people without epilepsy who completed the HADS. Fifty-one percent met the diagnostic criteria for full-PTSD; 30 % for partial-PTSD and 19 % for no-PTSD. The epilepsy group reported significantly more anxiety and depression than the control with demographic variables controlled for. Difficulty identifying feelings predicted post-epileptic seizure PTSD, anxiety and depression. It was positively correlated with post-epileptic seizure PTSD and depression, while it was negatively correlated with anxiety. People can develop PTSD and psychiatric co-morbid symptoms following epileptic seizures. The severity of these symptoms was related to difficulty in identifying internal feelings and emotions. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

ISSN

0033-2720

Publisher

Kluwer Academic/Human Sciences Press Inc.

Volume

84

Issue

3

First Page

271

Last Page

285

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychology

Keywords

Alexithymia, Posttraumatic stress, Seizure

Scopus ID

84881479596

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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