PAIN, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SCALES AND QUESTIONNAIRES FOR PATIENTS WITH LOW AND HIGH LEVELS OF ALEXITHYMIA.

The article presents the results of research connected with the implementation of pain, anxiety and depression scales and questionnaires in patients with low and high levels of alexithymia (AT). Patients with high level of alexithymia experience difficulties working with psychometric instruments, which are used in the process of diagnosis in diseases associated with pain syndromes, anxiety disorders and dizziness. So, the comparative research of questionnaires and scales informativity for non-alexithymic and alexithymic patients is really urgent. The research was conducted at the laboratory "Clinical linguistics" (Kazan Federal University) from 2016 till 2018 and included two groups: 60 neurological patients with high level of AT (experimental group) and 60 neurological patients with low level of AT (control group). The level of AT was measured with the help of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS - validated Russian version). The sample was presented by Russian-speaking patients. Patients were tested by TAS to define the level of alexithymia, then they were offered psychometric instruments for the measurement of pain (Pain Rating Scales; Brief Pain Inventory; McGill Pain Questionnaire) and psychometric instruments for the measurement of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Beck Depression Inventory) with different structure. The aim was to estimate the level of clarity of the questions and descriptors from scales and questionnaires. The form of testing was written and oral simultaneously. The authors give the comparative analysis of above mentioned instruments implementation in both groups and suggest their recommendations for specialists who use these scales and questionnaires in patients with AT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]