An Investigation of Alexithymia, Type D Personality Traits, and Childhood Traumas in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Although not completely understood, fibromyalgia is characterized by intense physical complaints with psychiatric factors involved in its etiopathogenesis. The present study aimed to investigate alexithymia, type D personality, and childhood traumas that might accompany fibromyalgia in those patients. The study enrolled 44 healthy controls and 44 patients with fibromyalgia. Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Type D Personality Scale (DS-14), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28) were used for the purposes of collecting data from all the participants. The group including patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia had significantly higher type D personality traits compared to the control group (p=.015). Furthermore, there was a significant intergroup difference by the TAS scale (p<0.05). CTQ-28 total and emotional, physical neglect, and emotional abuse subscales were higher in the patient group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Upon intragroup comparison of DS-14 subscale and CTQ-28 subscale scores in the patient group, patients with negative affection were significantly more emotionally neglected (p=.009). There was a moderate positive correlation between the CTQ-28 total scores and the TTS total score of patients with fibromyalgia (r=.54, p=.01). Individuals with fibromyalgia have a history of childhood trauma, difficulty in expressing their emotions, and distressed personality structures. Psychological assessment and psychosocial support therapies would prove to be beneficial in the treatment of fibromyalgia, a psychosomatic disease.