Comparison of Alexithymia and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in individuals with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and substance abuse with healthy individuals

The aim of this study was to compare Alexithymia and cognitive emotion regulation strategies among two groups of people, individuals with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, substance abuse, and healthy individuals. The study was of causal-comparative design. Part of the statistical population of this study consisted of all women with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and substance abuse in 2020 in Qom city and another part consisted of healthy women in this city. By purposive sampling method, 90 people were selected as the sample. The scales used in the study, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GADQ-IV) Spitzer et al (2006), Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) Connor et al (2000), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) Bagby et al (1994), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) Garnefski et al (2001). The results of the analysis of Manova showed that there was a statistically significant difference between Alexithymia and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in people with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder and substance abuse in healthy people (P<0.01). But there was no significant difference between people with symptoms of generalized and social anxiety disorder and people with substance abuse (P>0.05). Overall, people with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, and substance abuse have higher scores on Alexithymia and negative emotion regulation strategy and lower scores on positive emotion regulation strategy than healthy individuals.