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Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD

OBJECTIVE: Given sparse research on the issue, this study sought to shed light upon the interactions of alexithymia, emotion processing, and social anxiety in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 73 German adults with ADHD according to DSM-IV diagnostic...

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Autores principales: Edel, M-A, Rudel, A, Hubert, C, Scheele, D, Brüne, M, Juckel, G, Assion, H-J
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: BioMed Central 2010
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3351908/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20952350
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2047-783X-15-9-403
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author Edel, M-A
Rudel, A
Hubert, C
Scheele, D
Brüne, M
Juckel, G
Assion, H-J
author_facet Edel, M-A
Rudel, A
Hubert, C
Scheele, D
Brüne, M
Juckel, G
Assion, H-J
author_sort Edel, M-A
collection PubMed
description OBJECTIVE: Given sparse research on the issue, this study sought to shed light upon the interactions of alexithymia, emotion processing, and social anxiety in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 73 German adults with ADHD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria participated. We used the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) to assess alexithymia, the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) to assess different features of social anxiety, and we applied the German 'Experience of Emotions Scale' (SEE) to measure emotion processing. RESULTS: 40% of the sample were found to meet the DSM-IV criteria of social anxiety disorder, and about 22% were highly alexithymic according to a TAS-20 total score ≥ 61; however, the mean TAS-20 total score of 50.94 ± 9.3 was not much higher than in community samples. Alexithymic traits emerged to be closely linked to emotion processing problems, particularly 'difficulty accepting own emotions', and to social anxiety features. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest interactions of alexithymia, emotion processing dysfunction, and social anxiety in adults with ADHD, which may entail the therapeutic implication to thoroughly instruct these patients to identify, accept, communicate, and regulate their emotions to aid reducing interaction anxiety.
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spelling pubmed-33519082012-05-16 Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD Edel, M-A Rudel, A Hubert, C Scheele, D Brüne, M Juckel, G Assion, H-J Eur J Med Res Review OBJECTIVE: Given sparse research on the issue, this study sought to shed light upon the interactions of alexithymia, emotion processing, and social anxiety in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 73 German adults with ADHD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria participated. We used the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) to assess alexithymia, the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) to assess different features of social anxiety, and we applied the German 'Experience of Emotions Scale' (SEE) to measure emotion processing. RESULTS: 40% of the sample were found to meet the DSM-IV criteria of social anxiety disorder, and about 22% were highly alexithymic according to a TAS-20 total score ≥ 61; however, the mean TAS-20 total score of 50.94 ± 9.3 was not much higher than in community samples. Alexithymic traits emerged to be closely linked to emotion processing problems, particularly 'difficulty accepting own emotions', and to social anxiety features. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest interactions of alexithymia, emotion processing dysfunction, and social anxiety in adults with ADHD, which may entail the therapeutic implication to thoroughly instruct these patients to identify, accept, communicate, and regulate their emotions to aid reducing interaction anxiety. BioMed Central 2010-09-24 /pmc/articles/PMC3351908/ /pubmed/20952350 http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2047-783X-15-9-403 Text en Copyright ©2010 I. Holzapfel Publishers
spellingShingle Review
Edel, M-A
Rudel, A
Hubert, C
Scheele, D
Brüne, M
Juckel, G
Assion, H-J
Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD
title Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD
title_full Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD
title_fullStr Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD
title_full_unstemmed Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD
title_short Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD
title_sort alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with adhd
topic Review
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3351908/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20952350
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2047-783X-15-9-403
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