DOES ALEXITHYMIA IN MALE ALCOHOLICS CONSTITUTE A NEGATIVE FACTOR FOR MAINTAINING ABSTINENCE

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of alexithymia by means of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in 60 male outpatients with alcohol dependence showing various Personality durations of abstinence. Alexithymia (greater than or equal to 74 points on TAS) was found in 48% of subjects. In patients with a shorter duration of abstinence (< 1 year) both total scores of TAS as well as the scores for all three subscales were significantly higher than in subjects abstaining for more than 1 year. The findings may suggest a negative relationship between alexithymia and maintaining abstinence in male alcoholic outpatients.