Alexithymia, suicidal ideation and health-risk behaviours: a survey of Canadian men.

OBJECTIVE: Restricted emotional abilities may present significant implications for men's health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between alexithymia and several health-risk behaviours: substance misuse, aggressive and risky behaviours and suicidal ideation.

METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 1000 Canadian men responded to a survey containing measures of alexithymia, maladaptive coping behaviours, suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. A series of hierarchical regressions were conducted using alexithymia as the predictor variable and each health-risk behaviour as the criterion variable, controlling for depressive symptom severity.

RESULTS: Alexithymia was found to be significantly associated with drug use, alcohol use, angry/aggressive behaviour and risk-taking behaviour - as well as suicidal ideation - beyond the effects of depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide evidence for the link between alexithymia and several problematic behaviours that pose risks to men's health.