Establishing the theoretical components of alexithymia via factor analysis: Introduction and validation of the attention-appraisal model of alexithymia

Abstract

Alexithymia is an important mental health construct, but there is continuing debate regarding its definition and measurement. We attempt to resolve this definitional uncertainty in two ways. Firstly, we trace the development of the alexithymia construct, focusing particularly on what we call the Toronto and Amsterdam models, and examine a body of empirical research that shows strong support for the hypothesis that alexithymia consists of three components (difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally orientated thinking). Based on these components, we formulate an alternate theoretical model of alexithymia, the attention-appraisal model of alexithymia, that aligns alexithymia theory with recent advances in the broader emotion regulation field. Secondly, we examine the construct\u27s latent structure by factor analysing data from multiple psychometric measures administered to a community sample (N = 368). Our results suggest statistical support for our model, rather than the Toronto or Amsterdam models. We end by discussing how our model accounts for several unresolved issues within the alexithymia field, including the construct\u27s relation to imaginal capacities and emotional reactivity, whether alexithymia is a deficit or a defence, how it might be addressed in psychiatric treatment, and the discordance that has existed between alexithymia theory and alexithymia measurement. Ethical statement Ethics approval for this project was granted by the Edith Cowan University Human Research Ethics Committee. The guidelines of this committee were followed. All participants provided informed consent for their data to be used

Interoceptive Abilities in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…In this perspective, a recent study suggests that only the difficulties identifying and describing one's own feelings and an externally oriented cognitive style dimensions define the alexithymia construct. Difficulties identifying and describing one's own feelings dimensions would correspond to difficulties in the appraisal stage of emotion valuation system and externally oriented cognitive style dimension would correspond to difficulties in the attention stage of emotion valuation system (44). Emotion regulation involves mechanisms that allow individuals to modulate their emotions during environmental demands (45).…”

The cognitive‐interpersonal model of disordered eating: A test of the mediating role of alexithymia

“…The finding that the externally oriented thinking subscale is less consistently related to ED symptoms may suggest that disordered eating is associated with aspects of alexithymia that reflect difficulties in the cognitive processing of emotions, not an operational cognitive style. The externally oriented subscale reflects a concrete cognitive style in which a focus on the external details of everyday life is preferred over a focus on one's inner experiences (Preece, Becerra, Allan, Robinson, & Dandy, ). However, it is also possible that the lack of consistent findings between the externally oriented thinking subscale and disordered eating may be accounted for by the relatively low‐reliability estimates observed for this subscale (Westwood, Kerr‐Gaffney, et al, ).…”

Disordered social media use and risky drinking in young adults: Differential associations with addiction‐linked traits

“…Further, those identified as having Internet addiction are reported to show elevated levels of several traits that are similarly elevated in those with substance abuse or addiction (e.g., Kandri, Bonotis, Floros, & Zafiropoulou, ; Lyvers, Karantonis, Edwards, & Thorberg, ; Mahapatra & Sharma, ). Such traits include rash impulsiveness, or acting without appropriate consideration of consequences (Spinella, ); reward sensitivity, or the degree to which behaviour is motivated by the prospect of access to positive reinforcers (Dawe, Gullo, & Loxton, ); and alexithymia, a trait characterised by difficulties in identifying and verbalising the emotional feelings of self and others, as well as an overly concrete or externalised cognitive style (Preece, Becerra, Allan, Robinson, & Dandy, ). As disordered social media use involves the Internet, this form of Internet use has recently received attention in relation to personality or other potential predisposing factors (e.g., Andreassen et al, ), especially with regards to Facebook use (Chakraborty, ; Ryan & Xenos, ).…”