Correlates and retrospectively reported antecedents of alexithymia.

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted in order to examine the relationship between alexithymia and: 1) family environment; 2) discomfort and ambivalence experiencing and expressing emotion; and 3) dissociation. Research participants in both experiments were college students. We examined the ability to identify and communicate emotion using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. In Experiment 1, we found that alexithymia was significantly correlated with ambivalence concerning expression of emotion (measured using the Ambivalence over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire) and with discomfort concerning negative emotional states (measured using a new instrument called the Emotional Experience Discomfort Scale). Higher levels of alexithymia were associated with retrospective reports of diminished family expressiveness (measured using the Expressiveness subscale of the Family Environment Scale) and with feeling less emotionally safe during childhood (measured using a new instrument called the Childhood Experiences Questionnaire). In Experiment 2, we found that alexithymia was significantly correlated with dissociative experiences (measured using the Dissociative Experiences Scale). However, alexithymia and dissociation differed in the way they were associated with retrospective reports of different aspects of family expressiveness (measured using the Family Expressiveness Questionnaire). High levels of dissociation were associated with increased negative dominant family communication. In contrast, high levels of alexithymia were associated with low levels of positive family communication.

The relationship between alexithymia and hypnotic susceptibility: A review of the literature

“…Kérdôíves vizsgálatok segítsé-gével azonosították, hogy az alexitímia két vetülete, az érzelmek azonosítá-sának nehézsége és -kisebb mértékben -az érzelmek leírásának nehézsé-ge mér sékelt, de szignifikáns mértékben összefügg a disszociatív hajlammal (Berenbaum & James, 1994;Grabe, Rainermann, Spitzer, Gänsicke, & Frey berger, 2000;Irwin & Melbin-Herberg, 1997). Elzinga, Bermond és van Dyck (2002) nagy elemszámú kutatásban a két konstruktum közötti kapcsolat elemzésébe bevonta a gyermekkori abúzus-élményeket, az aktuális stressz szintjét és (az alexitímia faktoraként) a fantáziakészséget is.…”

The Moderating Role of Attachment Styles on the Relationship between Alexithymia and Interpersonal Problems in an Iranian Population

“…Bernbaum and James (1994) studied the family factors associated with alexithymia. Results demonstrated that those children, who developed in insecure and anxious environments while the emotion detection is prevented, they do not learn the successful coping with emotional situations.…”

“…Therefore, they become upset by experiencing an emotional situation. These difficulties and lack of appropriate mentor for expressing emotion may lead to anxiety and ambivalence (Bernbaum & James, 1994). Besharat (2010) showed that insecurity in attachment relationship can predict defect and failure to identify and express emotions.…”

Gender Differences in the Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Alexithymia, Dissociation and Self

“…Krystal (1988) was probably the first to emphasize that alexithymia is one of the sequelae of traumatic experiences. From research data evidence exists for the idea that psycho-traumata can indeed induce alexithymia (Hyer et al, 1990;Thomas et al, 1992;Berenbaum & James, 1994;Zlotnick, et al, 2001;Frewen et al, 2008). Victims of both rape (Zeitlin et al, 1993) and CSA (Albach & Everaerd, 1992;Berenbaum, 1996;Cloitre et al, 1997;Moormann et al, 1997;Sher & Twaite, 1999;Bermond et al, 2008) are known to suffer from alexithymia.…”