Alexithymia--state or trait?

The Spanish Journal of Psychology
Francisco Martínez-SánchezBeatriz Ortiz-Soria

Abstract

Alexithymia refers to a specific disturbance in emotional processing that is manifested by difficulties in identifying and verbalizing feelings and a tendency to focus on and amplify the somatic sensations that accompany emotional arousal. Alexithymia is conceptualized both as an affect-deficit disorder and a continuous personality variable. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the stability levels of alexithymia with regard to changes in emotional distress levels caused by university exams. We tested 20 university students at four different times, before and after the exams. Alexithymic features and self-reported emotional distress (trait anxiety and physical symptoms) were measured. Whereas emotional distress measures changed significantly during the diverse phases, the level of alexithymia remained unchanged. We therefore conclude that alexithymia represents a constant trait.

References

Jan 1, 1977·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·H Freyberger
Jan 1, 1992·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·P C HortonK J Kreutter
Apr 1, 1991·Journal of Personality Assessment·M S HendryxD G Shaw
Jul 1, 1990·Comprehensive Psychiatry·T N WiseB Hill
Jan 1, 1988·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·M G HavilandJ P MacMurray
Jan 1, 1988·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·R M BagbyL Atkinson
Jan 1, 1987·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·L Keltikangas-Järvinen
Jul 1, 1986·American Journal of Psychotherapy·S Ahrens, G Deffner
Jan 1, 1985·Journal of Human Stress·N Burks, B Martin
Jan 1, 1985·Journal of Human Stress·A S PapciakJ A Spiegel
Jan 1, 1973·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·P E Sifneos
Jun 1, 1984·Journal of Behavioral Medicine·V AttanasioJ G Arena
Apr 1, 1995·Psychological Reports·I FukunishiH Tobimatsu
Jan 1, 1995·Comprehensive Psychiatry·J M de GrootM P Olmsted
Jun 15, 1994·Statistics in Medicine·S R LipsitzL Zhao
Jan 1, 1994·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·R M BagbyJ D Parker
Mar 1, 1994·Comprehensive Psychiatry·M G HavilandJ P Henry
Feb 1, 1994·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·K CohenH Brooker
Jan 1, 1993·Comprehensive Psychiatry·U SchmidtJ Treasure
Apr 1, 1993·The American Journal of Psychiatry·S B ZeitlinK L Cassiday
Dec 1, 1996·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·M A LumleyF Wehmer
Dec 1, 1996·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·P PorcelliR M Bagby
Jan 1, 1997·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·O TodarelloL Marinaccio
Jan 1, 1997·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·R Infrasca
Feb 26, 2000·Journal of Personality Assessment·O LuminetJ D Parker
Apr 1, 2000·Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie·G J Taylor
Nov 9, 2000·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·K HonkalampiH Viinamäki
Aug 18, 2001·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·K HonkalampiH Viinamäki
Dec 26, 2001·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·S SaarijärviT B Toikka
Apr 1, 1953·Journal of Abnormal Psychology·J A TAYLOR

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 26, 2013·Journal of Health Psychology·Irina G Malkina-Pykh
Mar 7, 2014·Nutritional Neuroscience·Anna AltbäckerZsófia Clemens
Aug 11, 2006·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·W de VenteP M G Emmelkamp
Aug 13, 2009·Human Resources for Health·Dionisios BratisIoannis Ilias
Nov 13, 2008·PloS One·Xiaosi GuJin Fan
Apr 1, 2012·Acta Neuropsychiatrica·Ellen WingbermühleJos I M Egger
Apr 14, 2005·Psychology and Psychotherapy·O MasonS Potts
Nov 16, 2007·Journal of Personality Assessment·Mark A LumleyAmanda J Burger
Jun 24, 2005·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Mark A LumleyLisa J Rapport
Dec 18, 2020·International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine·Ana FresánAlejandro Molina Lopez
Apr 4, 2021·Brain Sciences·Carmelo Mario VicarioGiuseppe Craparo
Jul 3, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Silvia BarchettaCarmelo M Vicario
Aug 7, 2021·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Rebecca BrewerGeoffrey Bird

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Attention Disorders

Attention is involved in all cognitive activities, and attention disorders are reported in patients with various neurological diseases. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to attention disorders.