Alexithymia and cardiovascular risk in older adults: Psychosocial, psychophysiological, and biomedical correlates
Abstract
Psychosocial correlates of alexithymia were examined in 102 healthy, older adults (ages 53-83; 76% male). Alexithymic ( n = 26) and non-alexithymic ( n = 30) groups, defined by top ( S 70) and bottom ( h 54) quartiles of the distribution of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (26-item) scores, were compared with respect to psychosocial, psychophysiological, and biomedical risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Both categorical ratings and continuous scores of alexithymia were associated with significantly greater levels of trait anxiety, anger-in, neuroticism, hostility, perceived stress, depression, and lower levels of social support. Compared to non-alexithymics, alexithymics displayed significantly greater blood pressure responses to anger provocation and tended to have a greater percent body fat. The groups did not differ in resting cardiovascular parameters, heart rate reactivity, fasting glucose and lipoprotein lipids, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, social desirability, or trait anger. These findings suggest several psychosocial and psychophysiological pathways by which alexithymia may confer risk for cardiovascular disease among older adults.
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Elevated alexithymia in older adults is associated with poor physical and mental health.
“a body of evidence indicates that elevated alexithymia in older adults is associated with poor physical and mental health (Bamonti et al., 2010; Hintistan et al., 2013; Waldstein et al., 2002).”
From Atypical interoception as a common risk factor for psychopathology: A review (2021) · cites this paper as Waldstein et al., 2002
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- Authors
- Waldstein, S. R., Kauhanen, J., Neumann, S. A., & Katzel, L. I.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- University of Eastern Finland (FI)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (US)
- Venue
- Psychology & Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2002-01
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 597-610
- ISSN
- 0887-0446 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-8321
- OpenAlex
- W2088634771
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 2.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology and Health (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- National Institute on Aging
- NIH Clinical Center
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Keywords
- alexithymia, cardiovascular risk, older adults, cardiovascular risk factors, trait anxiety, anger-in, hostility, neuroticism, perceived stress, depression, social support, blood pressure reactivity, fat mass, psychosocial correlates, psychophysiological correlates
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