An expressiveness of alexithymia of HIV patients in the dynamics of the disease

Abstract

The results of the study of alexithymia ising the TAS technique and psychological setting ising C. Jung technique in 242 HIV-infected patients (mean age 28.5 ± 2.1 years) are presented. Men and women in the studied sample were equally divided. Control group indicators consisted of 55 survey healthy individuals' data similar to those of patients by gender, age, level of education. The distribution of patients in the study was conducted by CDC classification. 130 (53.7 %) of patients belonged to the «A» clinical and immunological category (stage) (the initial stage of clinical manifestations), 25.6 % (62) - to the «B» stage and 20.7 % (50) - to «C» stage (AIDS). The expected duration of HIV infection in 40.5 % (98) patients was up to 3 years, 37.2 % (90) - 4 to 7 years and 22.3 % (54) - more than 7 years. It is found that at «A» stage the amounts of alexithymic and non- alexithymic patients were about the same (24.2 and 27.3 %, respectively). At «C» stage the alexithymic patients were dominated (63.6 %). It was a significant (p < 0,01) increase in the test data in HIV infection patients both during the progression of the disease, and during the increase of its duration. Probably alexithymia in its pathological form reflects a depression and it can be considered as a defense mechanism, but on the other hand - there is a HIV cytopathogenic effect on the central nervous system. Knowledge of personality characteristics is essential to develop a commitment to perform diagnostic and therapeutic medical prescriptions in affected patients.