Ego Defensive Styles and Alexithymia: A Discriminant Validation Study

Wise, Thomas N.; Mann, Lee S.; Epstein, Steven

doi:10.1159/000288547

Cited by 47 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In multiple regresssion analyses the primitive defense style proved to be the best predictor of all alexithymia dimensions, except for EOT. In this respect, our study replicates the results of the study by Wise et al [17]. However, we could not replicate the finding of Wise et al [17] that alexithymia is associated with isolation of affect.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 71%

“…In this respect, our study replicates the results of the study by Wise et al [17]. However, we could not replicate the finding of Wise et al [17] that alexithymia is associated with isolation of affect. Isolation of affect as well as rationalization are psychometrically subsumed under the heading of the primitive defense style.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 71%

“…Until now, only two studies [16, 17] have been performed on the relationship between alexithymia and defense mechanisms. In patients with a myocardial infarct, Fukunishi et al [16] found that alexithymia, as measured with the TAS, was associated with measures of the defense mechanisms denial, negation, repression and reaction formation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, in this study defense mechanisms were measured with the DMI with its ipsative scoring system. In the study by Wise et al [17] on psychiatric outpatients, the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) was used to measure defense mechanisms. Using the TAS, they found that alexithymia was positively correlated with the total score of primitive defense mechanisms and negatively with the total score of the adaptive ones.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceived Parental Attitude, Alexithymia and Defense Style in Psychiatric Outpatients

Kooiman

Spinhoven

Trijsburg

et al. 1998

Psychother Psychosom

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Background: Although it is the clinical impression that alexithymia may be due to disturbances in the early parent-child relationship and that it is associated with primitive defense mechanisms, a possible association with neurotic defense mechanisms, such as repression and reaction formation, has also been mentioned. However, empirical studies on these and related issues are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the association between perceived parental attitude, defense mechanisms and alexithymia. Methods: In a cross-sectional study we obtained data from 78 psychiatric outpatients. Alexithymia, defense mechanisms and perceived parental attitude were measured with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Defense Style Questionnaire and the Parental Bonding Instrument. Results: We found only weak associations between perceived parental attitude and alexithymic features. Primitive and adaptive defenses were associated with alexithymic features in a clinically sensible way. The strongest association was found between primitive defense mechanisms and alexithymic features. There was hardly any association between neurotic defense mechanisms and alexithymic features. Conclusions: The results of our study support the hypothesis that alexithymia is associated with a primitive defense style, whereas a relation to disturbances in early parent-child relationship could not be confirmed. It is argued that possibly more severe traumatic experiences, such as physical and sexual abuse, than merely a negatively perceived parental attitude, are necessary to develop alexithymic features.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 71%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 71%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Perceived Parental Attitude, Alexithymia and Defense Style in Psychiatric Outpatients

Kooiman

Spinhoven

Trijsburg

et al. 1998

Psychother Psychosom

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“…O debate tem incluído questões relativas ao facto de a alexitimia ser um traço estável de personalidade, um estado flutuante, uma defesa do ego, ou um artefacto cultural (Bach, de Zwaan, Ackard, Nutsinger, & Mitchell, 1994;Parker, Taylor, & Bagby, 1998;Wise, Mann, & Epstein, 1991). Apesar de não haver um consenso quanto à sua etiologia, vários factores parecem ser relevantes para esta resposta, quer como factores etiológicos, quer como factores que afectam a vivência da alexitimia, como por exemplo factores sociodemográficos (Parker, Keefer, Taylor, & Bagby, 2008;Taylor, 1984).…”

Section: Alexitimiaunclassified

Quando o cliente pensa que não sente e sente o que não pensa: Alexitimia e psicoterapia

Silva

Vasco

Watson³

2013

Análise Psicológica

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É repetidamente referido na literatura que pacientes alexitímicos têm piores resultados em psicoterapia. Tendo como referência que as características associadas ao conceito de alexitimia reflectem défices ao nível do processamento emocional, não só ao nível da regulação emocional, mas também dos processos subjacentes, como a consciência e a experienciação emocionais e a expressão e a diferenciação emocional, sugere-se que com pacientes com funcionamento alexitímico seja necessário um maior enfoque terapêutico ao nível das tarefas emocionais. Neste trabalho salientamos as dificuldades que podem ocorrer ao nível da aliança terapêutica e discutem-se as implicações para as tomadas de decisão clínica. Através de uma análise crítica da literatura apontamos a importância de ter em conta esta dimensão na conceptualização de caso, no sentido de antecipar dificuldades ao nível da relação terapêutica e de se optar por objectivos mais focados nos processos subjacentes à alexitimia do que nas suas consequências.Palavras-chave: Alexitimia, Processos emocionais, Psicoterapia, Relação terapêutica. "As emoções são intermináveis. Quanto mais as exprimimos, mais maneiras temos de as exprimir." (Edward Organ Forster)O conceito alexitimia tem sido amplamente estudado, sendo as características que compõem o mesmo de extrema relevância no processo terapêutico. Ao longo deste artigo refletimos acerca das vivências emocionais de pacientes com características alexitímicas e quais as suas implicações para o processo terapêutico. Pretende-se repensar a alexitimia em termos de processos psicológicos específicos, de forma a melhorar a intervenção junto de pacientes com este tipo de funcionamento. ALEXITIMIAAlexitimia etimologicamente significa "sem palavras para os sentimentos" (Sifneos, 1973). Deriva do Grego e do Latim -Sem ("a") palavras ("lexus") para emoções ("thymus"). O termo foi inicialmente usado por Sifneos (1973) para designar um grupo de características cognitivas e afectivas típicas de pacientes com patologia somática. Apesar de ter sido um conceito inicialmente Este trabalho recebeu apoio da Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia -SFRH/BD/65066/2009).A correspondência relativa a este artigo deverá ser enviada para:

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Feelings and fantasy in eating disorders: A factor analysis of the Toronto alexithymia scale

Troop¹,

Schmidt

Treasure³

1995

Int. J. Eat. Disord.

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The aim of the study was to examine the factor structure of alexithymia in patients with eating disorders and to compare scores on these factors with a non‐eating disordered population. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) was given to patients with restricting anorexia nervosa (AN/R, n = 29), bulimia nervosa (BN, n = 83), anorexia with a subtype bulimia (AN/BN, n = 15), and 79 female students. Factors were extracted using a principal‐components factor analysis. Four factors were found—Inability to Identify Feelings, Paucity of Fantasy, Noncommunication of Feelings, and Concrete Thinking. All three eating disorder groups were less able to identify their feelings than the comparison group and AN/R patients had a more diminished fantasy life than BN patients and students. Groups did not differ significantly on concrete thinking but there was a trend towards significance on noncommunication of feelings, with patient groups expressing their feelings less than comparison subjects. Differences between patient groups on factors of the TAS suggest that scores are not simply a result of psychopathology in general. Approaches which promote the identification and expression of feelings may be particularly useful in the treatment of eating disorders. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Ego Defensive Styles and Alexithymia: A Discriminant Validation Study

Cited by 47 publications

References 15 publications

Perceived Parental Attitude, Alexithymia and Defense Style in Psychiatric Outpatients

Perceived Parental Attitude, Alexithymia and Defense Style in Psychiatric Outpatients

Quando o cliente pensa que não sente e sente o que não pensa: Alexitimia e psicoterapia

Feelings and fantasy in eating disorders: A factor analysis of the Toronto alexithymia scale

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