Alexithymia, suicidal ideation and behaviour in Moroccan psychoactive substance users

• Authors: Khadija Karjouh , Fatima-Zahra Azzaoui , Riadh Ouerchefani , Wafae Idrissi Semlali , Khaoula Mammad , Ghizlane Chtabou , Samira Boulbaroud , Ahmed Ahami

Abstracts

EN

Alexithymia is an emotion regulation problem that may be related to suicidality, especially in patients with SUD. The study aimed at estimating the prevalence of alexithymia in Moroccan psychoactive substances users, and to establish the links between alexithymia and suicidal ideation and behaviors, anxiety and depression in drug-dependent patients. We also aimed to elucidate if alexithymia predicts suicidal thoughts and behaviors in these consumers. The study included 451 consecutively admitted patients with substance use. Consumers were examined with the Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20), State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI- Y), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Among substance-dependent individuals, 72.7% was identified as a group with alexithymia. Current age and age at first substance use were lower in the alexithymic group (p<0.01). The mean STAI-Y state and C-SSRS scores were higher in the group with alexithymia (p<0.01). There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of mean scores for anxiety traits (p<0.05) and no significant difference in terms of mean scores for depression. All of the scores correlated significantly with. Addicted patients with alexithymia could be targeted at preventing the onset of suicidal thoughts and behaviour. The present study also evokes that whenever an emotional regulation disorder is observed, the possibility of anxio-depressive symptomatology and suicidality (ideation and behavior) needs to be assessed.

Keywords

EN

alexithymia; suicidal ideation; suicidal behaviors; substance abuse; anxiety; depression

• Publisher: Fundacja Edukacji Medycznej, Promocji Zdrowia, Sztuki i Kultury Ars Medica
• Journal: Acta Neuropsychologica
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 20(4)
• Pages: 423-443

Dates

published

2022

Contributors

author

Khadija Karjouh

• Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neurosciences and Health, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco

author

Fatima-Zahra Azzaoui

• Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neurosciences and Health, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco

author

Riadh Ouerchefani

• High Institute of Human Sciences, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
• Laboratory of Psychology of Pays de la Loire (EA 4638), University of Angers, France

author

Wafae Idrissi Semlali

• Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neurosciences and Health, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco

author

Khaoula Mammad

• Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neurosciences and Health, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco

author

Ghizlane Chtabou

• Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neurosciences and Health, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco

author

Samira Boulbaroud

• Polydisciplinary Faculty, Beni Mellal, Morocco

author

Ahmed Ahami

• Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neurosciences and Health, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco

Identifiers

DOI

10.5604/01.3001.0016.1619

Biblioteka Nauki

29519453