Alexithymia and Alcohol Dependence: The Roles of Negative Mood and Alcohol Craving

Fred Arne Thorberg; Ross Mc D. Young; Penelope Hasking; Michael Lyvers; Jason P. Connor; Edythe D. London; Ya Ling Huang; Gerald F.X. Feeney

doi:10.1080/10826084.2019.1650773

Alexithymia and Alcohol Dependence: The Roles of Negative Mood and Alcohol Craving

Fred Arne Thorberg^*, Ross Mc D. Young, Penelope Hasking, Michael Lyvers, Jason P. Connor, Edythe D. London, Ya Ling Huang, Gerald F.X. Feeney

^*Corresponding author for this work

Faculty of Society & Design

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Alexithymia is a personality trait associated with emotion regulation difficulties. Up to 67% of alcohol-dependent patients in treatment have alexithymia. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of alexithymia, negative mood (stress, anxiety, and depression) and alcohol craving on alcohol dependence severity.

Methods: Three hundred and fifty-five outpatients (mean age = 38.70, SD = 11.00, 244 males, range 18–71 years) undergoing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for alcohol dependence completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) prior to the first treatment session.

Results: Alexithymia had an indirect effect on alcohol dependence severity, via both negative mood and alcohol craving (b = 0.03, seb = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.02–0.05). An indirect effect of negative mood on alcohol dependence via alcohol craving was also observed (b = 0.12, seb = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.07–0.16).

Conclusions/importance: Alexithymia worked through negative mood and alcohol craving leading to increased alcohol dependence severity, indicating that craving had an indirect effect on the relationship between alexithymia and alcohol dependence severity. Targeting alcohol craving and negative mood for alcohol-dependent patients with alexithymia seems warranted.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2380-2386
Number of pages	7
Journal	Substance Use and Misuse
Volume	54
Issue number	14
Early online date	20 Aug 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2019.1650773
Publication status	Published - 6 Dec 2019

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title = "Alexithymia and Alcohol Dependence: The Roles of Negative Mood and Alcohol Craving",

abstract = "Background: Alexithymia is a personality trait associated with emotion regulation difficulties. Up to 67% of alcohol-dependent patients in treatment have alexithymia. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of alexithymia, negative mood (stress, anxiety, and depression) and alcohol craving on alcohol dependence severity. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-five outpatients (mean age = 38.70, SD = 11.00, 244 males, range 18–71 years) undergoing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for alcohol dependence completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) prior to the first treatment session. Results: Alexithymia had an indirect effect on alcohol dependence severity, via both negative mood and alcohol craving (b = 0.03, seb = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.02–0.05). An indirect effect of negative mood on alcohol dependence via alcohol craving was also observed (b = 0.12, seb = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.07–0.16). Conclusions/importance: Alexithymia worked through negative mood and alcohol craving leading to increased alcohol dependence severity, indicating that craving had an indirect effect on the relationship between alexithymia and alcohol dependence severity. Targeting alcohol craving and negative mood for alcohol-dependent patients with alexithymia seems warranted.",

author = "Thorberg, {Fred Arne} and Young, {Ross Mc D.} and Penelope Hasking and Michael Lyvers and Connor, {Jason P.} and London, {Edythe D.} and Huang, {Ya Ling} and Feeney, {Gerald F.X.}",

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AU - Thorberg, Fred Arne

AU - Young, Ross Mc D.

AU - Hasking, Penelope

AU - Lyvers, Michael

AU - Connor, Jason P.

AU - London, Edythe D.

AU - Huang, Ya Ling

AU - Feeney, Gerald F.X.

PY - 2019/12/6

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N2 - Background: Alexithymia is a personality trait associated with emotion regulation difficulties. Up to 67% of alcohol-dependent patients in treatment have alexithymia. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of alexithymia, negative mood (stress, anxiety, and depression) and alcohol craving on alcohol dependence severity. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-five outpatients (mean age = 38.70, SD = 11.00, 244 males, range 18–71 years) undergoing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for alcohol dependence completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) prior to the first treatment session. Results: Alexithymia had an indirect effect on alcohol dependence severity, via both negative mood and alcohol craving (b = 0.03, seb = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.02–0.05). An indirect effect of negative mood on alcohol dependence via alcohol craving was also observed (b = 0.12, seb = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.07–0.16). Conclusions/importance: Alexithymia worked through negative mood and alcohol craving leading to increased alcohol dependence severity, indicating that craving had an indirect effect on the relationship between alexithymia and alcohol dependence severity. Targeting alcohol craving and negative mood for alcohol-dependent patients with alexithymia seems warranted.

AB - Background: Alexithymia is a personality trait associated with emotion regulation difficulties. Up to 67% of alcohol-dependent patients in treatment have alexithymia. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of alexithymia, negative mood (stress, anxiety, and depression) and alcohol craving on alcohol dependence severity. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-five outpatients (mean age = 38.70, SD = 11.00, 244 males, range 18–71 years) undergoing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for alcohol dependence completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) prior to the first treatment session. Results: Alexithymia had an indirect effect on alcohol dependence severity, via both negative mood and alcohol craving (b = 0.03, seb = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.02–0.05). An indirect effect of negative mood on alcohol dependence via alcohol craving was also observed (b = 0.12, seb = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.07–0.16). Conclusions/importance: Alexithymia worked through negative mood and alcohol craving leading to increased alcohol dependence severity, indicating that craving had an indirect effect on the relationship between alexithymia and alcohol dependence severity. Targeting alcohol craving and negative mood for alcohol-dependent patients with alexithymia seems warranted.

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Alexithymia and Alcohol Dependence: The Roles of Negative Mood and Alcohol Craving

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