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The connection between alexithymia and attachment style in the bipolar pathology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2025

C. Bredicean ,
D. Onita ,
Z. Popovici ,
F. Calota ,
A. Danciu ,
S. Ursoniu  and
C. Giurgi-Oncu
C. Bredicean*
Affiliation:
Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara Psychiatry, Dr. Victor Popescu Emergency Military Clinical Hospital, Timisoara
D. Onita
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, The mental health center, Arad
Z. Popovici
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, The mental health center, Arad
F. Calota
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Dr. Victor Popescu Emergency Military Clinical Hospital, Timisoara
A. Danciu
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Dr. Victor Popescu Emergency Military Clinical Hospital, Timisoara
S. Ursoniu
Affiliation:
Functional Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
C. Giurgi-Oncu
Affiliation:
Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Difficulties in identifying and expressing one’s emotions, known as alexithymia, may influence the development of bipolar disorder. Attachment style reflects how a person forms and maintains interpersonal relationships

Objectives

The aim of the study is to analyze the connection between alexithymia, attachment style and the clinical evolution of bipolar disorder.

Methods

The study was conducted on a sample of 31 subjects diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder, with a longitudinal evolution of at least 10 years. Sociodemographic parameters, alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale), and attachment style (Adult Attachment Scale) were evaluated. Data were collected and analyzed to identify potential correlations between levels of alexithymia and attachment styles, as well as their impact on the number of illness episodes.

Results

There is no correlation between alexithymia and attachment style (r = -0.044, p > 0.05). A strong and significant correlation was observed between the level of alexithymia and the number of bipolar episodes (r= 0.907, p < 0.05). Attachment style did not have a significant influence on the course of illness. The educational level correlated inversely with alexithymia, but without being statistically significant (r=- 0.344, p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Alexithymia has an important role in the evolution of bipolar disorder, as it appears to be associated with an increased frequency in the number of illness episodes. The development of psychotherapy interventions to reduce alexithymia are essential to ensure a satisfactory quality of life for patients.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

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Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 68 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 33rd European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2025 , pp. S503
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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