A Comparison of Dimensions of Alexithymia with Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Symptoms and Mindfulness in Patients with Hypertension Compared with Healthy Individuals in the City of Kermanshah in Year 2016

In addition to biological and physical risks, psychological factors also play a role in the development and aggravation of essential hypertension disease which is a psycho-physiological disorder. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the comparison of dimensions of alexithymia with emotional intelligence, anxiety, depression and mindfulness in patients with hypertension compared with healthy individuals. Material and Methods: This is a descriptive and causal-comparative study. In this study, 100 patients (50 women and 50 men) with hypertension who referred to a cardiologist’s office in the city of Kermanshah in 2016 were selected by using an available sampling method, and 100 healthy people (50 women and 50 men) were selected and matched with the patients group among the people accompanying the patients and among the hospital staff. Data were collected using questionnaires of demographic variables, TAS-20, HADS, PFEIQ, and MASS was used to analyze the collected data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and independent t-tests. The results showed that there is a significant difference (p<0.05) between the two groups in hypertension and normal physiological variables in weight, body mass index, difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings and externally-oriented thinking; however, this difference was not significant in the case of the variable height (p>0.05). It was also found that there is a significant difference (p<0.05) between people with hypertension and healthy people in all psychological variables studied, namely alexithymia, depression, anxiety, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence. In addition to biological factors, psychological and behavioral factors, which changes more easily, are associated with hypertension. It is suggested that these variables be taken into consideration in the treatment of patients with essential hypertension.