The Effectiveness of Partner-Assisted Emotional Disclosure Therapy on Alexithymia in Patients with Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES)

Alexithymia and lack of understanding and expression of emotions are very common in patients with epileptic seizures. Psychiatric non-epileptic seizures are among the disorders that have epilepsy-like symptoms, and are often confused with epilepsy. The aim of this research was to study the effectiveness of partner-assisted emotional disclosure therapy on alexithymia in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

In this research, a single case experimental design with multiple asynchronous baseline was used. The research population was all patients with non-epileptic psychiatric seizures who referred to psychology and neurology clinics in Ahvaz City, Iran, in 2018. The effectiveness of 6 sessions of partner-assisted emotional disclosure therapy on alexithymia was evaluated at three stages of baseline, posttest, and follow-up. Three patients were purposefully selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data gathering tool was Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS). For data analysis, the Reliable Change Index (RCI), clinical significances and visual inspection were used.

The RCI for the alexithymia variable in the first to third patients was 4.46, 2.72, and 4.83, respectively. According to RCI > 1.96, the reliable change index was significant. Moreover, the recovery rates for the first to third patient were 50%, 29%, and 52%, respectively, which indicated the success of treatment in the first and third patients, and relative success in the second patient.

The partner-assisted emotional disclosure therapy is effective in reducing alexithymia in patients with non-epileptic seizures.