There are few studies examining the face validity of the 40-item version of the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). Moreover, the existing studies have provided conflicting results. The present study provides an in-depth examination of the face validity of the DSQ-40. Eight clinicians independently attributed each item of the DSQ-40 to a defense mechanism. The defense mechanisms listed in the DSM-IV Defensive Functioning Scale and their definitions were provided as a guide, along with the definition of those defense mechanisms investigated by the DSQ that are not included. It was further specified that the raters could attribute the items to defense mechanisms other than those listed or coping mechanisms. Twelve items out of 40 (30%) were attributed to the defense mechanisms they were supposed to investigate by fewer than four out of the eight raters. This result suggests that a substantial part of the DSQ-40 is lacking in face validity.

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The object of this paper is to provide a metapsychological definition of alexithymia as described in 1967 in terms of operational thinking and negative hallucination. This is a familiar and established concept in the fields of psychopathology, psychology, and of clinical and psychosomatic medicine. From a psychoanalytic and psychosomatic point of view, the term is conceptually close to P. Marty's "operative thinking", as described in 1963, even though we know they do not belong to the same epistemological field: on one hand Neuroscience, Psychiatry and the objectalization of the symptom at different levels, and on the other, as regards mechanical functioning, a psychoanalytic clinical approach within the dynamics of the relationship between transference and counter-transference. The present authors consider that Freudian metapsychology, as now complexified by Andrè Green, allows for a metapsychological approach to alexithymia insofar as it relates to Marty's operative thinking. Thus does Green's conceptualization of the mother's negative hallucination, of negative introjection, of a psychically 'dead (and insecure) mother', now provide us with the opportunity to describe, in metapsychological terms, the genesis of this particular mode of psychical functioning. Given the mother's negative hallucination produces a host structure as a background to negativity that will fit future object representations, we will assume that in the case of … future operational or alexithymic …?, this negative hallucination will pathologically and defensively involve the endo-psychic perception of affect.

To cite this version:A. Sinanian, Y. Edel, G. Pirlot, D. Cupa. Clinique possible d'une addiction à la caféine à partir de l'observation de 52 sujets et d'une revue de la littérature. Annales Médico-Psychologiques, Revue Psychiatrique, Elsevier Masson, 2010, 168 (7) This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t • une conduite addictive vis-à-vis de la caféine ;• un niveau d'anxiété élevé ;• certains sujets utiliseraient aussi la caféine à visée de « coupe-faim », telle une stratégie de contrôle de poids chez des personnes présentant des troubles alimentaires. The aim of this article, based on a previous study conducted in a research paper, is to observe if high-level consumption of caffeine can be considered as an addictive conduct.Three hypotheses were tested on 52 subjects (one study group with high consumption of caffeine [300mg-1000mg] and a control group with low consumption).They should present:• an addictive conduct towards caffeine;• a high level of anxiety;Page 5 of 22 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 3• few subjects would use caffeine as a weight control strategy among people suffering from eating disorders.To validate these hypotheses, we used a control group, the Goodman's definition's criteria, the anxiety scale state-trait STAI and, finally, the MINI diagnostic questionnaire. The results show us that 88% of subjects presenting a high level of caffeine consumption would present an addictive conduct (the average subjects fulfilled 70% of Goodman's criteria). This behaviour is characterized by impulsiveness and the persistence of the behaviour despite harmful consequences for the subject. The anxiety level was higher in the study group, compared to the control group and seven subjects used caffeine as appetite suppressant, in the case of eating disorders.Our study suggests that patients should be asked about their caffeine consumption level during a clinical anamnesis. It also paves the way for other studies, on for example, the link between caffeinism and eating disorders.