Repressive coping and alexithymia in idiopathic environmental intolerance

Abstract

Objective To examine if the non-expression of negative emotions (i.e., repressive coping) and differences in the ability to process and regulate emotions (i.e., alexithymia) is associated with idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). Methods The study included participants who had previously participated in a general population-based study and reported symptoms of environmental intolerance (n = 787) and patients with IEI (n = 237). The participants completed questionnaires assessing IEI, namely, a measure of repressive coping combining scores on the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS) and the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and a negative affectivity scale (NAS). Multiple, hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted using IEI variables as the dependent variables. Results The TMAS and MCSDS scores were independently associated with the IEI variables, but there was no evidence of a role of the repressive coping construct. While the total alexithymia score was unrelated to IEI, the TAS-20 subscale of difficulties identifying feelings (DIF) was independently associated with symptoms attributed to IEI. Negative affectivity was a strong independent predictor of the IEI variables and a mediator of the association between DIF and IEI. Conclusion Our results provide no evidence for a role of repressive coping in IEI, and our hypothesis of an association with alexithymia was only partly supported. In contrast, strong associations between IEI and negative emotional reactions, defensiveness and difficulties identifying feelings were found, suggesting a need for exploring the influence of these emotional reactions in IEI.

The association between idiopathic environmental intolerance and psychological distress, and the influence of social support and recent major life events

“…Therefore, for a more detailed description of the study participants, we refer the reader to our previously published results on the association between perceptual personality characteristics, such as somato-sensory amplification, autonomic perception, absorption and alexithymia, repressive-coping strategies, and IEI [13,29]. In brief, our conclusions were that somato-sensory amplification and autonomic perception are significantly associated with symptoms attributed to IEI.…”

“…Results from this study have been published recently in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine [13,29]. Therefore, for a more detailed description of the study participants, we refer the reader to our previously published results on the association between perceptual personality characteristics, such as somato-sensory amplification, autonomic perception, absorption and alexithymia, repressive-coping strategies, and IEI [13,29].…”

“…Details on the questions included in the questionnaire have been published in Skovbjerg et al [13,29].…”

“…Details on the statistical analysis are published in Skovbjerg et al [13,29]. The results from the PCA were summarized into four IEI scales: (1) the CNS Symptoms Scale (CNSS), which has eight items and total scores ranging from 0 to 8;…”

Transcranial pulsed electromagnetic fields for multiple chemical sensitivity: study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

“…However, current findings suggest that both biological and psychological mechanisms are involved [4,7-10]. Within the biological spectrum, the theory of an abnormal response in the CNS termed central sensitization is receiving increasing scientific attention [7-9,11], partly because this hypothesis is compatible with the polysymptomatic manifestations from multiple organ systems and with the often reported association with symptoms of negative affectivity and stress [12-17]. The theory of central sensitization is further supported by recent findings.…”