Alexithymia, craving and attachment in a heavy drinking population

Fred Arne Thorberg; Ross Young; Karen A Sullivan; Michael Lyvers; Jason P Connor; Gerald F X Feeney

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.12.016

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Alexithymia, craving and attachment in a heavy drinking population

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Alexithymia, craving and attachment in a heavy drinking population

Fred Arne Thorberg, Ross Young, Karen A Sullivan, Michael Lyvers, Jason P Connor and Gerald F X Feeney

Addictive Behaviors, Vol.36(4), pp.427-430

2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.12.016

PMID: 21215527

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Abstract

Alexithymia

Craving

Attachment

Alcohol-dependence

Up to fifty per cent of individuals with Alcohol use disorders (AUD) also have alexithymia a personality construct hypothesized to be related to attachment difficulties. The relationship between alexithymia, craving, anxious attachment and alcohol-dependence severity was examined in 254 patients participating in a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program for alcohol-dependence. Participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), the Revised Adult Attachment Anxiety Subscale (RAAS-Anxiety) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). MANOVA indicated that individuals with alexithymia reported significantly higher levels of total OCDS, obsessive thoughts about alcohol, and compulsive drinking urges and behavior, compared to the non-alexithymic group. Regression analyses found that anxious attachment partially mediated the relationship between alexithymia and craving. Anxious attachment may be a potential treatment target to reduce alcohol consumption in those with alcohol-dependence and alexithymia.

Details

Title: Alexithymia, craving and attachment in a heavy drinking population
Authors: Fred Arne Thorberg (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Ross Young (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Karen A Sullivan (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Michael Lyvers (Author) - Bond University
Jason P Connor (Author) - The University of Queensland
Gerald F X Feeney (Author) - The University of Queensland
Publication details: Addictive Behaviors, Vol.36(4), pp.427-430
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Date published: 2011
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.12.016
ISSN: 1873-6327; 0306-4603
PMID: 21215527
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99551006202621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Psychology, Clinical; Substance Abuse

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