Posttraumatic stress and alexithymia: A meta-analysis of presentation and severity

Abstract

Objective: Improving treatment outcomes for posttraumatic stress necessitates consideration of factors that may impede treatment progress. Previous research suggests alexithymia-an emotion-processing deficit characterized by difficulties in identifying, describing, and attending to emotional information-may be a therapeutically relevant correlate of posttraumatic stress.

Method: Building upon previous work in this area, meta-analysis was used to investigate (a) how alexithymic traits typically present among those with a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis, (b) the strength of association between alexithymic trait severity and posttraumatic stress severity independent of diagnosis, and (c) alexithymia subdimensions most closely associated with posttraumatic stress. A total of 43 samples encompassing 5,069 participants were included in analyses.

Results: Results suggest individuals diagnosed with PTSD tend to experience alexithymic traits that, while just below the clinical cutoff, are 1.32 standard deviations more severe than the general population. These alexithymic traits are particularly prominent in male and veteran samples and for difficulties in identifying feelings. Independent of diagnosis, posttraumatic stress was moderately associated with alexithymic traits, and stronger associations were noted between posttraumatic stress and difficulties in identifying feelings than between posttraumatic stress and difficulties in describing feelings or externally oriented thinking.

Conclusions: Results attest to the importance of considering, conceptualizing, and treating posttraumatic stress and alexithymia in tandem. Implications for ongoing treatment development for posttraumatic stress are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).