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Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 31 No. 4, 2019.

Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2019.473

ALEXITHYMIA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG WOMEN UNDERGOING IN VITRO FERTILIZATION

Dunja Jurić Vukelić orcid id orcid.org/0000-0003-2757-201X ; Department of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zorana Kušević ; University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Jasminka Horvatić ; Private Practice „Horvatić Counseling“, Zagreb, Croatia

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Abstract

Background: The aim of the current study was to analyze the relationship between alexithymia, anxiety, physical problems, trauma, and psychological distress in women undergoing in vitro fertilization.
Subjects and methods: The study was based on 78 women (mean age = 34.4 ys) who were referred to a fertility treatment with in vitro fertilization. The questionnaires (socio-demographic questionnaire, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure) were administered by the investigators.
Results: Our results suggest that alexithymia was significantly correlated to anxiety (r=0.506, p=0.00), depression (r=0.591, p=0.00), physical problems (r=0.477, p=0.00), trauma (r=0.512, p=0.00), and psychological distress (r=0.598, p=0.00). Furthermore, high alexithymia group showed significantly higher levels of anxiety (F=4.65, p=0.00), depression (F=2.30, p=0.00), trauma (F=1.80, p=0.00) and general psychological distress (F=2.85, p=0.04) than the low alexithymia group.
Conclusions: Results of the present study point out that alexithymia could be considered a potential risk factor for high levels of anxiety, depression and general psychological distress. It may also be used as an indicator of a need for further psychological support aimed at women undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Keywords

alexithymia; psychological distress; in vitro fertilization; depression; anxiety

Hrčak ID:

235514

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/235514

Publication date:

4.11.2019.

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