Considerations on emotional development: to be aware of or else holding back emotions among inflammatory bowel disease patients

Ramiro Veríssimo

This cross-sectional study was conducted in an inflammatory disease group comprised of 59 patients, 22 men and 37 women, and aimed to explore the possible influences of familial interactions in affect regulation. Probably benefiting from a more caring upbringing and environment, the last born express his emotions outwardly in contrast to the eldest child who has such tendency decreased. In turn, parental separation is associated with lower positive affect and sensation seeeking. However, from another perspective, positive affect and exploratory behaviour tends to increase with the time period of adulthood separation from the nuclear family of origin. Finally, those who were raised as an only child within the family are more anxious, have greater difficulty in describing feelings and tend to be included among more severely ill patients. These findings are consistent with the importance attributed to environmental conditions regarding alexithymia and related constructs.

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