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Alexithymia and interpersonal problems in healthy young individuals
Pauline Koppelberg1, Anette Kersting1, Thomas Suslow2
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Semmelweisstr, 10, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
BMC Psychiatry
|September 22, 2023
Summary
Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, is linked to interpersonal problems in healthy adults. Specifically, difficulty identifying feelings predicts general interpersonal distress, while difficulty describing them relates to low agency and communion.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- Alexithymia is a personality trait involving difficulties identifying and describing feelings, and externally oriented thinking.
- It is a known risk factor for various mental and somatic disorders.
- Previous studies suggest a link between alexithymia and interpersonal problems, but findings in healthy individuals are inconclusive due to uncontrolled negative affect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific alexithymia facets and interpersonal problems in healthy adults.
- To examine the relationship between alexithymia facets, agency, and communion, controlling for negative affect.
Main Methods:
- Two hundred healthy young adults (100 women) participated.
- Alexithymic features were assessed using the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).
- Interpersonal problems were measured using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-D), alongside measures of anxiety, depression, and verbal intelligence.
Main Results:
- All alexithymia facets positively correlated with general interpersonal distress.
- Difficulties Identifying Feelings (DIF) significantly predicted general interpersonal distress, independent of negative affect.
- Difficulties Describing Feelings (DDF) predicted lower agency and communion, also independent of negative affect.
Conclusions:
- Difficulties identifying feelings are associated with higher general interpersonal distress, potentially due to disrupted emotion regulation.
- Difficulties describing feelings are a key factor in interpersonal problems related to low agency and communion, as emotion expression is vital for social connection.
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