Alexithymia

Chronic coccydynia is characterized by pain localized to the coccygeal region that typically worsens with sitting, leading to notable impairments in functional performance and health-related quality of life. In clinical practice, fluoroscopy-guided Ganglion Impar Block (GIB) is commonly performed as an interventional treatment in patients unresponsive to conservative medical therapies. Alexithymia, defined as a multidimensional personality construct involving difficulty identifying and describing feelings alongside an externally oriented thinking style, has been shown to be prevalent in chronic pain conditions and associated with pain intensity, mood symptoms, and functional disability. The primary objective of this prospective analytical cross-sectional study is to examine the relationship between alexithymia levels (evaluated via the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale \[TAS-20\]) and pain intensity, health-related quality of life, anxiety, depression, and childhood trauma in patients with chronic coccydynia who are scheduled to undergo Ganglion Impar Block based on routine clinical indications.

Low back pain and lumbosakral radiculopathy represent common clinical challenges substantially diminishing health-related quality of life and work productivity. Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection (TFESI) is widely performed in routine practice to reduce radicular pain, enhance functional capacity, and mitigate the need for surgery. However, clinical response to TFESI remains notably heterogeneous, indicating that biomedical parameters alone may not fully account for treatment efficacy and that psychosocial variables play a critical role. Alexithymia, defined as difficulty in identifying and describing emotions coupled with an externally oriented cognitive style, is prevalent among individuals with chronic spinal pain and linked to heightened pain perception and affective distress. This prospective observational cohort study aims to investigate the influence of baseline alexithymia levels (measured by the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale \[TAS-20\]) on treatment response (defined as pain relief and functional improvement) following routine clinically indicated TFESI in patients with chronic low back pain and radiculopathy.

This study aims to investigate the prevalence and levels of alexithymia in patients diagnosed with chronic coccydynia (tailbone pain lasting for 3 months or longer) and to explore its relationship with various clinical and psychological parameters. Chronic coccydynia can significantly impair daily activities, functionality, and reduce quality of life. Participants in this prospective, observational study will be evaluated during their routine visits to the pain management clinic. Evaluation of the participants will be performed using validated self-report questionnaires, including the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) for alexithymia, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for mood symptoms, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-33) for early life adverse experiences, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) for quality of life. The primary objective of the study is to determine how alexithymia relates to pain severity, duration, emotional symptoms, childhood trauma history, and overall quality of life in this specific population. The results of this pilot study may help strengthen the biopsychosocial approach in the evaluation of chronic coccydynia and optimize future multidisciplinary treatment strategies.

The purpose of the study is to test two different training programs to find out which is better at helping people with a concussion or mild TBI (mTBI) improve their emotional health and well-being. Study participation is completely remote and will last approximately 8 months total, involving 4 assessment visits and 8 sessions of brain training via a secure video-conferencing platform. The 4 assessment visits (about 30-90 minutes each) include surveys and questionnaires about participant's emotional health. These assessment visits will take place before the training, immediately after the training, 3 months after training and 6 months after training. The 8 sessions of 1-on-1 training (about 60-90 minutes each) will be completed over the course of approximately 1 month.

The psychological well-being of healthcare workers in hospital settings is a topic of growing interest in the scientific literature, given the crucial importance of their role in ensuring high-quality care. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic health emergency has further accentuated the relevance of this issue, increasing anxiety and stress levels, testing the resilience and resistance of those working in care settings, revealing and highlighting how the accumulation of work-related stress can result in disabling pathologies for the caregiver, with an inevitable impact on the facility and care in general. Recent studies show that health care workers are particularly vulnerable to work-related stress, which can result from various factors such as high work demands, emotional pressure, irregular shifts, and interactions with critically ill patients. Burnout syndrome, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment, is widely documented among hospital staff. Research indicates that burnout not only compromises the psychological health of healthcare workers, but also negatively affects the quality of care provided by increasing the risk of medical errors. In light of these factors, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of the dynamics that influence psychological well-being and work-related stress in health care workers in order to develop effective interventions that can improve their quality of life and consequently the quality of care provided to patients. Preliminary assessment of the emotional burden and motivational aspects of health care workers (showing what very often eludes a first glance, making visible something that is often invisible), along with effective stress management, would allow for greater ability to remain calm under pressure, reduced frustration, increased ability to make informed decisions, and to communicate effectively with patients and colleagues. These aspects translate into an image of a safer and more caring health care system in promoting better quality of care. The aim of this project is to highlight the importance of psychological wellbeing for those working in health care settings and to promote attention to this area, also with a view to identifying possible interventions aimed at identifying preventive and protective factors in relation to health care workers. The aim, therefore, is to show what is very often invisible at first sight, to make visible what is invisible: to explore, accommodate and contain areas of criticality and fragility in the context of work in health care settings, working on interventions aimed at the psychological well-being of workers.