Predicting physical and mental health symptoms: Additive and interactive effects of difficulty identifying feelings, neuroticism and extraversion

The present study is the first demonstrating longitudinal effects of alexithymia, particularly DIF, neuroticism, and extraversion in predicting mental and somatic health symptoms. Associations between DIF, neuroticism, and extraversion have been additive and interactive. Hence, subjects high in neuroticism and DIF but low in extraversion have reported most health symptoms and thus might be in need for prevention strategies. Treatments chould be adapted to the associated combination of the personality characteristics.