Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Neuropsychiatry

Background:First Episode Psychosis (FEP) exhibit alexithymia and social anxiety symptoms whichareimportant targets for intervention. Aim:To assess alexithymia and social anxiety symptoms among patients with FEP, the differences in symptom severity between FEP patients and chronic schizophrenia (SCZ) and their association with psychotic symptom severity in both patient groups. Method:32 patients with FEP, 32 patients with SCZ and 32 matchedHealthy controls(HC)were assessed by Toronto Alexithymia scale (TAS-20)and Leibowitz social anxiety scale (LSAS). Psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS). Results: Alexithymia scores were significantly higher (p=0.001) in the SCZ compared to HC and FEP but not statistically different between FEP and HC.In FEP group, Alexithymia correlated with PANSS scales (except PANSS-P)and remained in regression analysis determining high PANSS-N scores.These relations were not detected in SCZ group. Social anxiety symptoms in both patients{u2019} groups correlated with the PANSS-G and didn{u2019}t differ between the 3 groups. Alexithymia in FEP group correlated with social anxiety scores(p= 0.002) and remained in regression analysis associated with increased social anxiety

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