Is alexithymia a risk factor for major depression, personality disorder, or alcohol use disorders? A prospective population-based study

Disagreements concerning the stability of alexithymia and its ability to predict subsequent psychiatric disorders prevail. The aim of this 7-year follow-up study was to examine whether alexithymia predicts subsequent major depression, personality disorder, or alcohol use disorders in a population-based sample.The four-phase Kuopio Depression Study (KUDEP) was conducted in the eastern part of Central Finland. The study population (aged 25-64,...