Longitudinal patterns of alcohol use and psychological symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic and role of alexithymia: A latent transition analysis in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

Ru Li; Jani Kajanoja; Linnea Karlsson; Hasse Karlsson; Saara Nolvi; Max Karukivi

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.06.056

Longitudinal patterns of alcohol use and psychological symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic and role of alexithymia: A latent transition analysis in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

J Affect Disord. 2023 Oct 1:338:440-448. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.06.056. Epub 2023 Jun 27.

Authors

Ru Li¹, Jani Kajanoja², Linnea Karlsson³, Hasse Karlsson⁴, Saara Nolvi⁵, Max Karukivi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland; FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland. Electronic address: ru.li@utu.fi.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland; FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Finland.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland; FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland; Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland; FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland.
⁵ FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland; Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.
⁶ FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been posing widespread influence on mental well-being. However, research on the dynamic relations between alcohol use and psychological symptoms in the context of the pandemic and the role of alexithymic traits in predicting the development of mental health problems longitudinally remains scarce.

Methods: Latent profile and transition analyses were conducted to model the longitudinal patterns of transitions in the profiles of alcohol use and psychological symptoms across 10 months during the pandemic (from May 2020 to March 2021) and to investigate the role of alexithymia and its dimensions Difficulty Identifying and Describing Feelings (DIF and DDF), and Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT) in 720 parents from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

Results: Three profiles, Risky Drinking, Distressed Non-Risky Drinking, and Non-Distressed, Non-Risky Drinking, and their transitions were identified. The role of alexithymia appeared to be stronger in Risky Drinking than Non-Distressed, Non-Risky Drinking. DIF predicted the development of symptoms in Risky Drinking, whereas DDF predicted Risky Drinking remaining stable over time and showed a trend towards psychological distress in Risky Drinking and Non-Distressed, Non-Risky Drinking. EOT was more likely to be a risk factor for Risky Drinking remaining constant and Non-Distressed, Non-Risky Drinking becoming Risky Drinking.

Limitations: This study was mainly limited by the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusions: Our findings add deeper insights into the longitudinal development of alcohol use and psychological symptoms as well as evidence on the role of alexithymia in shaping mental health, providing implications for tailoring clinical preventive and therapeutic measures.

Keywords: Alcohol use; Alexithymia; COVID-19; Latent transition analysis; Longitudinal study; Mental health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Affective Symptoms* / psychology
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Cohort Studies
Emotions
Humans
Pandemics