Williams K R, Galas J, Light D, Pepper C, Ryan C, Kleinmann A E, Burright R, Donovick P
Department of Psychology, State University of New York-Binghamton, New York, USA.
Brain Inj. 2001 Apr;15(4):349-56. doi: 10.1080/026990501750111319.
Alexithymia, a deficit in emotional information processing, and a history of head injury have both been found to be related to high rates of psychosomatic illness, substance abuse, depression, and utilization of primary care services. To date, no study has examined the potential comorbidity of alexithymia and head injury in a family practice setting, a necessary step in evaluating the aetiologic role of head injury in the development of alexithymia. The goals of this study are to establish prevalence of head injury and alexithymia in a family practice setting and to evaluate the relation, if present, between the two.
Patients (n =135) of a family practice residency facility were screened using the Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20.
Forty-nine per cent of the participants reported a history of head injury and 18% were alexithymic. Those with a history of head injury had significantly higher scores of alexithymia. Chi-square analysis indicated a relation between head injury and alexithymia.
The high rates of self-reported history of head injury in family practice settings, particularly in the context of alexithymia, may adversely affect a physician's ability to care for these patients. Increasing physicians' awareness of head injury and the potential mediating role of alexithymia in medical and psychological illness may facilitate effective diagnosis and patient-physician communication.
述情障碍，即情绪信息处理缺陷，以及头部受伤史均被发现与身心疾病、药物滥用、抑郁症及初级保健服务利用率的高发生率有关。迄今为止，尚无研究在家庭医疗环境中考察述情障碍与头部受伤的潜在共病情况，而这是评估头部受伤在述情障碍发生发展中的病因学作用的必要步骤。本研究的目的是确定家庭医疗环境中头部受伤和述情障碍的患病率，并评估两者之间（若存在）的关系。
使用创伤性脑损伤问卷和多伦多述情障碍量表-20对一家家庭医疗住院机构的患者（n = 135）进行筛查。
49%的参与者报告有头部受伤史，18%为述情障碍患者。有头部受伤史的患者述情障碍得分显著更高。卡方分析表明头部受伤与述情障碍之间存在关联。
在家庭医疗环境中，自我报告的头部受伤史发生率较高，尤其是在述情障碍的背景下，可能会对医生照顾这些患者的能力产生不利影响。提高医生对头部受伤以及述情障碍在医学和心理疾病中的潜在中介作用的认识，可能有助于进行有效的诊断以及医患沟通。
