Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
Alexithymia and Interoceptive Confusion in Covid-19 Pandemic Distress
Mario Miniati1, Chiara Poidomani1, Ciro Conversano1
1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy, and the Department of Surgical Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical Care and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
Objective:
Alexithymic traits are associated with the difficulty of perceiving 'non-affective interoceptive signals', and are related to a problematic management of stressful life events (SLEs). The main purpose of this study was to quantify the psychological response of the general population to COVID-19 pandemic stress and to evaluate potential correlations with the presence of 'alexithymic traits' and 'interoceptive confusion' (study protocol # 0077794/2022).
Method:
175 subjects from general population were assessed with the Toronto-Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Event-Revised Impact Scale (IES-R), the Interoceptive Accuracy Scale (IAS), and the Interoceptive Confusion Questionnaire (ICQ).
Results:
a significant relationship emerged between alexithymic traits (assessed with the TAS-20), the ICQ 'interoceptive confusion', and the domain of 'hyper-arousal' as assessed with IES-R. Logistic regression model showed that ICQ-Total Score and IES-R 'hyper-arousal' domain were significantly correlated with TAS-20 total score, with DR value (R2 corrected) explaining the 36.8% of the variability (standard error: 10.7).
Conclusions:
This study, albeit with the limitations of a cross-sectional experimental design with self-evaluation tools in a general population sample, showed a vulnerability to COVID-19 pandemic stress due to high levels of hyper-arousal in subjects with alexithymic traits and interoceptive confusion.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Panic Disorder
Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Theory
Primary Appraisal:...
Social Anxiety Disorder
Psychological Responses to Stress
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...

