Alexithymia and emotion regulation in patients with Raynaud's disease

Objectives Besides cold, emotional distress is the most important trigger of Raynaud's disease (RD) attacks, although little is known about the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of coping with emotional distress. The aim of the present study was to explore alexithymia and emotion regulation and their relationship with depression and quality of life among patients with RD. Methods Total of 110 patients (mean age 53.65; 96 women) with RD completed self-report measures. Results Alexithymia was associated with adverse emotional regulation skills, depression, and quality of life impairment. Detailed analysis revealed that there are significant differences between alexithymic and nonalexithymic patients in emotion regulation. Conclusion Alexithymia is a significant factor affecting health status in RD since it plays a significant role in emotion regulation. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to improve treatment outcome by identifying patients with high alexithymia, and to improve their emotional regulation skills.