Insight and alexithymia in adult outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Journal: European Archives Of Psychiatry And Clinical Neuroscience
Published:
Abstract

Objective: To elucidate the relationships between insight and alexithymia in a sample of adult outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Methods: 112 adult outpatients with OCD were tested. Severity of OCD was assessed with the first 10-items of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and score for item # 11 on the Y-BOCS was considered as a measure of insight. Alexithymia was measured with 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Additional measures were Maudsley Hospital Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

Results: Of the patients, 29.5% showed poor or no insight. Patients with poor or no insight were more alexithymic than patients with excellent, good and moderate insight. TAS-20 total score and subfactors positively correlated with score for item # 11 on the Y-BOCS, severity of OCD and MADRS scores. In stepwise regression model, MADRS scores, factor 3 of TAS-20 (Externally Oriented Thinking), somatic and hoarding-saving obsessions were significantly associated with lower insight.

Conclusions: Results show a relationship between poor or absent insight and high alexithymia levels in OCD patients.

Authors
Domenico De Berardis, Daniela Campanella, Francesco Gambi, Gianna Sepede, Gabriele Salini, Alessandro Carano, Raffaella La Rovere, Lucia Pelusi, Laura Penna, Alessandra Cicconetti, Carla Cotellessa, Rosa Salerno, Filippo Ferro