Examination of the Relationship between Alexithymia and Satisfaction with Life in Patients with Epilepsy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Patients with epilepsy (PWE) may experience emotional difficulties and distress if they cannot cope consistently with the emotional and physical challenges of having a seizure. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between alexithymia and life satisfaction in PWE. Methods: This study was conducted with 207 PWE in a hospital in eastern Türkiye. Data were collected using the “Individual information forms”, “Toronto Alexithymia Scale”, and “Satisfaction with Life Scale”. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analyses, and post-hoc LSD analyses were employed for data evaluation. Results: In the present study, the alexithymia total mean score of the PWE was 58.01±9.07, the total mean score of “difficulty identifying feelings” was 19.84±5.82, the total mean score of “difficulty describing feelings” was 14.42±3.30, and the total mean score of “externally oriented thinking” was 23.75±2.88. The total mean satisfaction with life score was 13.82±4.23. A significant negative correlation was found between total alexithymia and life satisfaction scores of PWE, who participated in the study (F=11.87; p<0.05). Conclusion: It was found that PWE had high alexithymia levels and lower life satisfaction levels. As the total alexithymia score increased, the total life satisfaction score decreased.