Effect of alexithymia and difficulty of emotion regulation, neuroticism, low extraversion, and suicidality on quality of life in epilepsy

•Alexithymia and emotion dysregulation are seen more frequently in PWE.•Neuroticism and low extraversion were also more prevalent personality traits in PWE. The effects of differences in personality traits on quality of life are important.•Anxiety, suicidal ideation, neuroticism, alexithymia, and emotion dysregulation had a negative impact on quality of life.•Suicidality is multifaceted in PWE.•Researching these psychosocial aspects and managing them effectively will contribute to the interpersonal relations and social adaptation of PWE and increase their quality of life. The objective of this study was to investigate alexithymia, emotion dysregulation, suicidality, and personality traits in people with epilepsy (PWE) and to evaluate their effects on quality of life. Forty-six consecutive PWE and forty healthy control subjects (HC) were recruited for the study. Both PWE and HC were interviewed and completed the following questionnaires: Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20(TAS-20), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Suicidal Ideation Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Quality Of Life In Epilepsy-31. TAS-20 and difficulty identifying feelings which was the subgroup of TAS-20, scores of total and non-acceptance, goals, impulse, strategies, and clarity subgroups of DERS were statistically significantly higher in PWE (p = 0.01, 0.004, 0.01, 0.07, 0.009, 0.06, 0.01, respectively). Considering the personality characteristics, neuroticism was more common in PWE, while extraversion was less common. Suicidal ideation and anxiety scores were higher in PWE than HC (p = 0.02, p = 0.003). Anxiety, suicidal ideation, neuroticism, alexithymia and emotion dysregulation had a negative relationship on quality of life. (r = −0.54, p