Régulation des émotions, dépression et conduites à risques : l’alexithymie, un facteur modérateur

The repetitive involvement in risk-taking behaviour is a major cause of somatic damage or accidents in adolescents and young adults. Previous research points out the importance of psychological factors such as personality variables and cognitive-emotional functioning. In this field, relationships between risk-taking, anxiety and depression have been well-established. However, few studies take into account emotion-regulation processes as implicated in risk-taking. According to Bonnet et al. (2003), risk-taking behaviours are similar to those of coping strategies for subjects maintaining a homeostatic state. Another perspective considers risk-taking as a consequence of an emotional processing deficit, a trait called alexithymia. Following this hypothesis, the aim of this study was to test a) differences between risk-takers and non risk-takers in depressive disorder and alexithymic functioning, b) relations between emotional functioning, depression and risk-taking. Two groups were formed from a sample of 259 subjects, aged from 18 to 25: an RT group (Risk-Taking, N = 123), and an NRT group (Non Risk-Taking, N = 136). Participants completed a risk-taking questionnaire (elaborated by the authors especially for this study), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Our results show significant differences between the two groups: risk-takers seem to present more depressive symptoms than controls (P < 0.0001), and to be more alexithymic (P < 0.0001). Strong correlations (from 0.59 to 0.44) were found between alexithymia, depression and risk-taking behaviours. Finally in a model explaining 43% of the variance of risk-taking behaviours (R² = 0.43; F(3.258) = 66.103, P < 0.0001), multiple regression shows that alexithymia and depression might be risk factors for such conducts. There may be several interpretations of our results. In the first one, alexithymia could be considered as a part of a general depressive syndrome, which may be at the origin of the problematic behaviours. In this case, risk-taking would be used in order to diminish or suppress negative emotions. But this interpretation is not satisfying, because both depression and alexithymia have similar effects on risk-taking, and because we have been able to propose a statistical model in which alexithymia is a variable that explains depressive symptoms. These remarks lead us to consider alexithymia as a moderating variable, which allows subjects to avoid negative emotions, which cannot be processed. This process maintains risk-takers in a depressive state that they try to treat using risk-taking behaviours as illusory attempts to avoid negative feelings. Finally, limits and need for further research are discussed. In conclusion, our results point out the importance of emotional variables in the study and treatment of subjects involved in risk-taking behaviour.