Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care

Marta Szepietowska; Bernadetta Nowak; Alicja Dąbrowska; Katarzyna Skinderowicz; Bartosz Wilczyński; Piotr Krajewski; Przemysław Pacan; Jacek Szepietowski

doi:10.5114/ada.2022.119084

eISSN: 2299-0046
ISSN: 1642-395X

Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii

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1/2023
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abstract:

Original paper

Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care

Marta Szepietowska

¹

,

Bernadetta Nowak

¹

,

Alicja Dąbrowska

¹

,

Katarzyna Skinderowicz

¹

,

Bartosz Wilczyński

¹

,

Piotr K. Krajewski

¹

,

Przemysław Pacan

²

,

Jacek C. Szepietowski

¹

Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Rzeszow University, Rzeszow, Poland

Adv Dermatol Allergol 2023; XL (1): 54-58

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2022.119084

Online publish date: 2022/09/07

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AMA

Szepietowska M, Nowak B, Dąbrowska A, et al. Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii. 2023;40(1):54-56. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.119084.

APA

Szepietowska, M., Nowak, B., Dąbrowska, A., Skinderowicz, K., Wilczyński, B.,  & Krajewski, P. K. et al. (2023). Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 40(1), 54-56. https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2022.119084

Chicago

Szepietowska, Marta, Bernadetta Nowak, Alicja Dąbrowska, Katarzyna Skinderowicz, Bartosz Wilczyński, Piotr K Krajewski,  and Przemysław Pacan et al. 2023. "Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care". Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii 40 (1): 54-56. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.119084.

Harvard

Szepietowska, M., Nowak, B., Dąbrowska, A., Skinderowicz, K., Wilczyński, B., Krajewski, P., Pacan, P.,  and Szepietowski, J. (2023). Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 40(1), pp.54-56. https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2022.119084

MLA

Szepietowska, Marta et al. "Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care." Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii, vol. 40, no. 1, 2023, pp. 54-56. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.119084.

Vancouver

Szepietowska M, Nowak B, Dąbrowska A, Skinderowicz K, Wilczyński B, Krajewski P et al. Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii. 2023;40(1):54-56. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.119084.

Introduction
Alexithymia is defined as a disturbed ability to identify and verbally express emotions with a limited imaginative capacity as well as externally oriented thinking. The literature on alexithymia is limited and scarce research concentrated on alexithymia in different gender groups. Aim: As alexithymia may influence the therapeutic outcome, the objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of alexithymia in adolescents in Poland, paying special attention to gender differences.

Material and methods
This cross-sectional study was run on a group of 730 high school students in Poland. The mean age of this group was 17.05 ±1.18 years (age range: 15–19 years). Alexithymia was assessed with Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).

Results
Alexithymia was found in 31.0% of adolescents. 56.0% of subjects presented with signs of at least intermediate (borderline) alexithymia. Significantly more females than males suffered from alexithymia (37.0% and 20.8%, respectively; p < 0.001). TAS-20 scores were also significantly higher in females than males (55.59 ±12.32 points and 49.40 ±12.00, respectively; p < 0.001). The same phenomenon was observed for the following domains of alexithymia: difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) and difficulty in describing feelings (DDF). However, there was no difference in gender distribution in the externally oriented thinking (EOT) domain.

Conclusions
Alexithymia was shown to be common among adolescents in our country. More females than males suffer from this condition. This seems to be of importance in the holistic approach to patients’ care.

keywords:

Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients’ care

Marta Szepietowska 1 , Bernadetta Nowak 1 , Alicja Dąbrowska 1 , Katarzyna Skinderowicz 1 , Bartosz Wilczyński 1 , Piotr K. Krajewski 1 , Przemysław Pacan 2 , Jacek C. Szepietowski 1

alexithymia, gender differences, therapy

Marta Szepietowska

¹

,

Bernadetta Nowak

¹

,

Alicja Dąbrowska

¹

,

Katarzyna Skinderowicz

¹

,

Bartosz Wilczyński

¹

,

Piotr K. Krajewski

¹

,

Przemysław Pacan

²

,

Jacek C. Szepietowski

¹