Alexithymic traits can explain the association between puberty and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescent females.

ABSTRACT: Symptoms of internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety increase in adolescence, especially in females. However, gender differences in depression and anxiety symptoms emerge only after puberty onset. Levels of alexithymia, characterized by difficulties identifying and describing one's emotions, are elevated in depression and anxiety, and fluctuate across adolescence in a gender-specific manner. This study investigated changes in alexithymia across adolescence, and explored the potential role of alexithymia in the development of depression and anxiety, separately for females and males. Accordingly, 140 adolescents aged 11 to 21 years (77 female) completed self-report measures of alexithymia, depression and anxiety, and pubertal development. For females alone, pubertal maturation

SUBMITTER: van der Cruijsen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6334924 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature