Alexithymia and Suicidal ideation: a 12-Month Follw-Up Study in a General Population

In this 12-month follow-up study, the authors investigated the relationship between alexithymia & suicide ideation in a sample 0f 1,563 general population participants. Suicide ideation was more common among subjects with alexithymia than non-alexithymia subjects. In cross-sectional analyses, alexithymia associated with the presence of suicide ideation even after adjustment for gender, age, & several psychosocial & socioeconomic factors & the presence of depression. After adjustment for depression at baseline, the decrease & increase in alexithymic features during the study period associated independently with recovery from & the occurrence of suicide ideation, respectively. If depression presents alexithymic features, the subject has an additive impact on the risk of suicide ideation. (43 refs.)