Prevalence of Alexithymia in Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study in Mexican Outpatients

Objective To determine the frequency of alexithymia in patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treated at the outpatient service of Fray Bernardino Álvarez Psychiatric Hospital in Mexico City. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 101 PTSD patients (91% women, mean age: 29.5 years). The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) were administered. Statistical analysis included descriptive measures, correlations, and logistic regression. Results Sexual abuse (53.5%) and rape (26.7%) were the most frequent traumas. Ninety percent of participants scored above the TAS-20 cutoff for clinical alexithymia (≥61 points). A moderate positive correlation was found between trauma exposure duration and TAS-20 scores (rs = 0.539, p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified trauma duration as a significant risk factor for alexithymia (OR = 1.75, p = 0.002). Conclusions Alexithymia is highly prevalent in PTSD patients, particularly among those exposed to prolonged trauma. These findings underscore the need for trauma-focused interventions addressing emotional regulation deficits.