The dissertation research focuses on the study of a complex of factors that influence the risk of suicidal behavior, and on a comprehensive theoretical and empirical analysis of the influence of alexithymia on the likelihood of suicidal behavior in patients with depressive disorders.
The paper provides a theoretical generalization of the psychological aspects of the concept of alexithymia. The definition of alexithymia is presented, according to which this phenomenon originates from the field of psychosomatics and is characterized as the inability to recognize and verbally describe one's own emotional states.
Based on the analysis of existing studies and our own scientific research, it was found that a high level of alexithymia and the presence of aggressive tendencies in patients make it difficult to control emotions, which can be characterized by intensity and destructiveness.
Given the need to improve preventive, diagnostic and psychotherapeutic work with patients who have an increased level of suicidal risk, a comprehensive analysis of scientific achievements and current trends in the development of the concept of alexithymia was conducted. Particular attention is focused on studying the causal relationships between alexithymia and suicidal behavior, as well as on the factors contributing to the emergence of this emotional deficit. The results of numerous studies confirm that alexithymia, i.e. the inability to recognize and express emotions, can significantly influence the formation of risks for suicidal behavior.
The problem of differentiating patients with depressive disorders who have an increased suicidal risk from those who do not demonstrate such tendencies is also considered. It has been established that these factors act as mechanisms that contribute to an increase in suicidal risk. The close relationship between alexithymia and aggression in patients with depression allows us to enrich our understanding of the etiology of suicidal behavior, as well as to identify possible directions for prevention.
Methods of statistical data processing allowed us to determine the most effective ways to identify suicidal risk in patients with depression.
Thus, taking into account alexithymia as a significant factor in prevention and psychotherapy is a necessary element in working with patients with an increased risk of suicidal behavior. The development and implementation of specialized approaches that take into account this emotional deficit can significantly increase the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions and contribute to improving the quality of life of patients.
At the empirical stage of the dissertation research, an approach was developed aimed at a detailed assessment of each functional component of the experiment in the context of the analysis of suicidal risk in patients with depressive disorders.
The experimental study was conducted on the basis of the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise "Clinical Institution for the Provision of Psychiatric Care "PSYCHIATRY" in Kyiv, using an experimental design. The study involved 101 patients.
Differential diagnosis of suicidal risk among patients with depressive disorders was carried out through a comprehensive psychodiagnostic approac.
Experimental hypotheses have been confirmed, according to which individuals with depressive disorders who have a “history of suicidal behavior” demonstrate an increased level of alexithymia; impaired mentalization, the ability to recognize and interpret one’s own and others’ emotional states, contributes to the emergence of alexithymic manifestations. It has been established that in patients with depressive disorders, alexithymia significantly affects the risk of suicidal behavior, especially through aggressive reactions, which are one of the characteristic manifestations of emotional deficit.
The scientific novelty and theoretical significance of the study lies in deepening the understanding of the psychological mechanisms that cause the emergence of suicidal behavior in patients with depressive disorders, as well as in establishing the connection between suicidal behavior and alexithymia. In particular, the study allows us to better understand the nature of the influence of alexithymia on the development of unregulated impulsive aggression. Conceptual positions on the etiology of suicidal behavior in the context of its relationship with the inability to understand and regulate emotional experiences, which leads to the emergence of aggressive reactions of a destructive nature, have been further developed.
Key words: aggression, psychodiagnostics, anxiety, depressive disorder, self-actualization, personality with mental illness, adaptation, alexithymia in the structure of the concept of emotions, suicide, neurotic disorder, psychological state, correction, frustration, stress, therapy
