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

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

doi:10.1080/10826084.2019.1650773

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

Journal article

Peer reviewed

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

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

Substance Use and Misuse, Vol.54(14), pp.2380-2386

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2019.1650773

PMID: 31429362

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Abstract

negative mood

alcohol dependence

Alexithymia

alcohol craving

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.

Details

Title: Alexithymia and Alcohol Dependence: The Roles of Negative Mood and Alcohol Craving
Authors: Fred Arne Thorberg (Author) - Bond University
Ross Young (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Penelope Hasking (Author) - Curtin University
Michael Lyvers (Author) - Bond University
Jason P Connor (Author) - University of Queensland
Edythe D London (Author) - University of California Los Angeles
Ya-Ling Huang (Author) - Gold Coast Hospital
Gerald F. X Feeney (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Substance Use and Misuse, Vol.54(14), pp.2380-2386
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Inc.
DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2019.1650773
ISSN: 1532-2491
PMID: 31429362
Organisation Unit: Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation); University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99551006602621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Psychiatry; Psychology; Substance Abuse

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