Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental disorder that causes disabilities. This study investigated the relationship among impulsivity, autistic traits, and disabilities in patients with OCD. We included 88 patients with OCD and 90 healthy volunteers without any mental disorders. The participants were evaluated using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0). Regression analyses revealed that AQ-attention switching and BIS-attentional subscale scores were associated with WHODAS-overall score in the OCD group (p = 0.017 and p = 0.034, respectively). In the OCD group, AQ total, social skills, and communication subdomain scores partially mediated the relationship between impulsivity and disability. BIS total, attentional, and nonplanning subscale scores partially mediated the relationship between autistic traits and disability. Developing new treatment strategies for cognitive recovery, in addition to traditional treatment approaches in patients with OCD, may help increase functionality in patients with OCD.

Objectives: The study was conducted to assess the psychological resilience and stress symptoms in health care workers following the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. Methods: The study was completed with a sample size of 313 health care workers who experienced the earthquake and was carried out in a descriptive and correlational design. The Sociodemographic Data Form, Brief Psychological Resilience Scale (BPRS), and Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale-5 (TSSS-5) were used. Results: The study found that 39.6% of health care workers were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, 41.2% of participants considered leaving their jobs after the earthquake, and 79.9% reported a decrease in job motivation (slight or a lot). It was determined that there was a negative correlation between the participants’ BPRS scores and TSSS-5 scores (r:-0.523, P = 0.00). Conclusions: In accordance with the findings of our study, it can be posited that traumatic stress symptoms diminished as the level of psychological resilience increased in health care workers who experienced the earthquake.

Background and Objectives: Chronic mental disorders may negatively affect sexual functioning and dyadic adjustment. This study aimed to investigate the associations between alexithymia, sexual dysfunctions, and dyadic adjustment in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and to compare these variables with those of healthy controls. Materials and Methods: This case–control study included 72 patients with OCD and 82 sociodemographically matched healthy controls. All participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). Group comparisons were conducted using independent t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and chi-square tests, while correlations were examined using Pearson’s analysis. Results: Patients with OCD had significantly higher TAS-20 scores (60.97 ± 11.15 vs. 43.18 ± 8.86, p < 0.001) and ASEX total scores (18.33 ± 4.93 vs. 13.76 ± 3.55, p < 0.001), alongside lower DAS scores (total and all subscales, p < 0.001) than controls. Within the OCD group, TAS-20 scores correlated positively with the total ASEX score (r = 0.366, p = 0.002) and negatively with the total DAS score (r = −0.339, p = 0.004) and subscales (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patients with OCD exhibit elevated alexithymia, greater sexual dysfunction, and reduced dyadic adjustment compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, alexithymia in patients with OCD is associated with impaired sexual functioning and dyadic adjustment. Assessing alexithymic traits and addressing them in treatment may improve social and familial functioning in this population.

Alexithymia is a condition characterized by difficulty in identifying and expressing emotions. This narrative review aimed to provide an integrative synthesis of the conceptual, neurobiological, and clinical dimensions of alexithymia across major psychiatric diagnoses. Recent research has connected alexithymia with various psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma and related disorders, somatic symptom disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, sleep disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and alcohol and substance use disorders. Across diagnostic categories, reported prevalence rates vary considerably, ranging from approximately 13% to over 70% depending on the disorder and population studied, with rates exceeding 40–60% in somatic symptom disorders. Clinically, alexithymia is linked to higher symptom burden, reduced functioning, lower quality of life, increased suicidal thoughts, and poorer response to treatment. Neurobiological findings consistently implicate alterations within the anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and prefrontal regions, supporting the conceptualization of alexithymia as a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor associated with disrupted interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation networks. Including alexithymia routinely in psychiatric assessments could greatly enhance diagnosis and treatment planning. It is thought that treatment approaches that aim to increase emotional awareness, strengthen the link between bodily sensations and emotions, and improve emotion regulation skills may improve clinical outcomes in individuals with psychiatric disorders who exhibit alexithymic features.

Tunahan Sun, Lut Tamam, Mehmet Emin Demirkol, Caner Yeşiloğlu. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci 2025;23:719-23. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.24.1265