Alexithymia in Substance Use Disorders: A Scoping Review of Therapeutic Approaches

Authors

• Pratami Diah Herliani, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Padjadjaran University, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, IndonesiaFollow
• Shelly Iskandar, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Padjadjaran University, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
• Angela Vera Herman Efendi, Medical Doctor, Faculty of Medicine, Sriwijaya University, Palembang

Abstract

Alexithymia, defined as the inability to recognize and express emotions, has a high prevalence (40–50%) among individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), particularly alcohol use disorder, and is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Despite this, comprehensive mapping of psychotherapeutic interventions targeting this condition within the SUD population remains limited. This study aimed to systematically map the therapeutic approaches investigated to address alexithymia among individuals with substance use disorders and to summarize the reported outcomes. A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines using systematic literature searches in the PubMed and Scopus databases. Relevant studies were screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were subsequently extracted and analyzed qualitatively to map the types of interventions and reported outcomes. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies investigated diverse therapeutic approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodrama, mindfulness-based interventions, body-oriented therapies, equine-assisted therapy, and digital interventions. Overall, these approaches demonstrated potential to improve emotional awareness, emotion regulation, and alexithymia-related outcomes among individuals with substance use disorders. This scoping review maps the diverse landscape of interventions aimed at addressing alexithymia in the SUD population and highlights the need for holistic approaches that explicitly target deficits in emotional processing through the integration of psychological, social, and pharmacological support. Routine screening for alexithymia and the personalization of interventions emerge as important clinical implications of this mapping.

Recommended Citation

Herliani, Pratami Diah; Iskandar, Shelly; and Efendi, Angela Vera Herman (2026) "Alexithymia in Substance Use Disorders: A Scoping Review of Therapeutic Approaches," Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research: Vol. 11: Iss. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://journal.unpad.ac.id/pcpr/vol11/iss2/7

Page

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