Background
Alexithymia
Tomkins Affect Theory
Pain
Purpose of study
Methods
Affect School
Subjects
Procedures
Self report instruments applied before and after the whole intervention
1) 20-item version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, TAS-20
2) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HAD
3) Visual Analogue Scale for pain, VAS-pain
4) Modified version of European Quality of Life health barometer, EQoL
5) Stress and Crisis Inventory-93, SCI-93
Assessment after group sessions
Bergdahl's Questionnaire
Observations made by instructors during group sessions
Statistics
Ethical approval
Results
Mean age, years (range) | 46 (27-64) |
N of participants | |
Women | 52 (88%) |
Men | 7 (12%) |
Mood and alexithymia
| |
Anxiety | 47 (80%) |
Depression | 37 (63%) |
Combined anxiety and depression | 32 (54%) |
No anxiety/depression | 7 (12%) |
Alexithymia | 21 (36%) |
Alexithymia, intermediate score | 15 (25%) |
No alexithymia | 23 (39%) |
Somatic diagnoses:
| |
Fibromyalgia | 25 (42%) |
Myofascial syndrome | 15 (25%) |
Whiplash associated disorder | 6 (10%) |
Lumbago ischias | 4 (7%) |
Other pain | 9 (15%) |
Md(iqr) | |
Affect School as a whole | 4(1) |
Instructors were warm towards the patients | 5(0) |
Instructors were interested in the patients | 5(0) |
Instructors were active | 5(1) |
Instructors were directing (a lot: 5, a little: 1) | 3(1)* |
Instructors were competent | 5(0) |
Instructors were supporting | 5(1) |
Instructors could help | 4(1) |
Instructors understood and accepted patients. | 5(1) |
Instructors told about own experiences | 5(1) |
Participants appreciated instructors. | 5(0) |
Participants dared to show feelings | 4(1) |
Participants and instructors had goals in common | 5(2) |
Cooperation between Patients and instructors | 5(0) |
Non alexithymia Mn(SD) | Non alexithymia Md(iqr) | Alexithymia Mn(SD) | Alexithymia Md(SD) | p-value* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anxiety score (HAD-A) | 7.9(3.7) | 9.0(6.5;11) | 11.3(3.2) | 11(8.5;14) | 0.006 |
Depression score (HAD-D) | 7.1(3.6) | 6(5.5;10.5) | 11.2(4.4) | 12(8;14) | 0.003 |
Stress score | 55.2(19.1) | 53(45.5;75.5) | 74.4(20.3) | 74(62;83) | 0.006 |
(SCI-93) |
TAS-20- difference | DIF-difference | DDF-difference | |
---|---|---|---|
R | 0.17 | 0.33* | 0.13 |
R Square | 0.03 | 0.11* | 0.02 |
N | Missing | Pos change | Neg change | p-value# | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Close relations | 48 | 5 | 32 | 1 | *** |
Relation to work colleagues | 41 | 12 | 1 | 4 | NS |
Relations to other people | 47 | 6 | 23 | 2 | *** |
General well-being | 48 | 5 | 22 | 6 | * |
Overall change | 47 | 6 | 36 | 3 | *** |