A Comparison of Alexithymia, Character and Temperament, and Aggression between Addicts and Healthy Individuals

Aim and The present study was conducted to compare alexithymia, character and temperament, and aggression between addicts and healthy individuals.
Methods and Materials: This causal-comparative research was conducted on 80 addicts and 80 healthy individuals. The subjects were selected through convenience sampling method and were matched. The research tools included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) (Cloninger et al.), and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ). Data were analyzed using MANOVA and ANOVA.
Findings: There was a significant difference between addicts and healthy individuals in terms of alexithymia components (difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally-oriented thinking) and aggression components (physical aggression, verbal aggression, and anger and hostility). The scores of alexithymia and aggression components were higher in addicts compared to healthy individuals. Moreover, the scores of damage and novelty seeking components in the character and temperament variable were higher in addcits. The scores of the components of self-leadership, partnership, and persistence were lower in addicts in comparison with healthy individuals. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the components of remuneration, dependency, and self-transcendence.
This study, in line with researches focused on investigating the underlying personality aspects involved in addiction, can be helpful in understanding the factors involved in this phenomenon and proposing suitable solutions for the prevention and treatment of addiction.