Alexithymia--state and trait

Alexithymia is conceptualized as both affect-deficit disorder and continuous personality variable. Two-hundred-sixty-four adolescents were surveyed using (1) a core symptom questionnaire for alexithymic state; (2) the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), and (3) the Solacing Methods Questionnaire. Three percent were positive for core symptoms and used significantly fewer solacers than matched controls (p = 0.048); the affect-deficit disorder hypothesis is supported. Twenty-three percent were TAS-positive suggesting the need for a trait measure. However, only one of the 8 core symptom subjects was TAS-positive raising a question about the sensitivity of the TAS to the extreme cases on which the alexithymia concept is based. While 62.5% of the matched controls reported using memories for solace, none of the core symptom subjects did; one of the alexithymic's central problems may consist in finding psychological as opposed to action-oriented and physical comfort.