A Comparison of Alexithymia in Individuals with Suicidal Ideation, Attempted Suicide, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Year 2024, Volume: 34 Issue: 3, 386 - 391, 30.06.2024

Sertaç Zengil , Orhan Delice , Hilal Uygur

https://doi.org/10.54005/geneltip.1444016

Abstract

Background/Aims: Alexithymia is a concept characterized by the impairment of an individual’s awareness of his feelings and ability to clearly identify and describe them. This study investigated whether alexithymia levels would differ in three different groups consisting of participants exhibiting suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).
Methods: Seventy-five cases presenting to the psychiatry clinic and emergency department due to suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, or non-suicidal self-injury and 25 healthy controls were included in the study. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were applied to all participants. The individuals taking part were assigned into three different groups for comparisons, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, and NSSI.
Results: TAS-20 scores (55.88±13.23) and HDRS scores (21.89±9.14) were higher in the case groups than in the healthy controls (38.44±11.72 and 1.96±2.51, respectively) (p<0.001). Significantly higher TAS-20 scores were determined in the group with NSSI than in the attempted suicide group. Mean scores for the TAS subscales TAS-A (difficulty identifying feelings) and TAS-B (difficulty describing feelings) were significantly higher in the NSSI group than in the attempted suicide group. Positive correlation was detected between severity of depression and alexithymia levels, TAS-20 scores, TAS-A scores, TAS-B scores, and TAS-C (externally oriented thinking) scores.
Conclusion: The data from this study indicate that alexithymia levels in NSSI are higher than in individuals with attempted suicide and suicidal ideation. This finding reveals the importance of also examining individuals with NSSI in terms of alexithymia.

Keywords

Alexithymia, attempted suicide, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation

İntihar Düşüncesi Olan, İntihar Girişiminde Bulunan ve İntihar Amaçlı Olmayan Kendine Zarar Verme Davranışı Bulunan Bireylerde Aleksitiminin Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

Amaç: Aleksitimi, bireyin duygularının farkına varmasında, bunları tanıma ve açıkça tanımlama becerisinde bozulma ile karakterize bir kavramdır. Bu çalışma, intihar düşüncesi olan, intihar girişiminde bulunan ve intihar amaçlı olmayan kendine zarar verme (NSSI) davranışı sergileyen katılımcılardan oluşan üç farklı grupta aleksitimi düzeylerinin farklı olup olmayacağını araştırdı.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya intihar düşüncesi olan, intihar girişiminde bulunan veya intihar amaçlı olmayan kendine zarar verme nedeniyle psikiyatri kliniğine ve acil servise başvuran 75 olgu ve 25 sağlıklı kontrol dahil edildi. Tüm katılımcılara Toronto Aleksitimi Ölçeği (TAÖ-20) ve Hamilton Depresyon Derecelendirme Ölçeği (HAM-D) uygulandı. Olgular intihar düşüncesi olan, intihar girişiminde bulunan ve NSSI olmak üzere üç farklı gruba ayrılarak kendi aralarında ve sağlıklı kontroller ile karşılaştırıldı.
Bulgular: Olgu gruplarında TAÖ-20 skorları (55,88±13,23) ve HAM-D skorları (21,89±9,14) sağlıklı kontrollere göre (sırasıyla 38,44±11,72 ve 1,96±2,51) daha yüksekti (p<0,001). NSSI grubunda intihar girişimi grubuna göre TAÖ-20 puanlarının anlamlı derecede yüksek olduğu belirlendi. TAÖ-20 alt ölçekleri TAÖ-A (duyguları tanımada zorluk) ve TAÖ-B (duyguları tanımlamada zorluk) ortalama puanları, NSSI grubunda intihar girişiminde bulunan gruba göre anlamlı derecede yüksekti. Depresyonun şiddeti ile aleksitimi düzeyleri, TAÖ-20 puanları, TAÖ-A puanları, TAÖ-B puanları ve TAÖ-C (dışa dönük düşünme) puanları arasında pozitif korelasyon tespit edilmiştir.
Sonuç: Bu çalışmadan elde edilen veriler NSSI'de aleksitimi düzeylerinin intihar girişiminde bulunan ve intihar düşüncesi olan bireylere göre daha yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu bulgu NSSI'li bireylerin aleksitimi açısından da incelenmesinin önemini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

Aleksitimi, intihar girişimi, intihar amaçlı olmayan kendine zarar verme, intihar düşüncesi

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