Is Alexithymia a Trait or a State? Temporal Stability in a Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Alexithymia involves deficits in emotional cognitive processing.
• It is a potential risk factor for psychopathology.
• Its nature as a stable trait versus a state reaction to distress is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the absolute and relative stability of alexithymia.
• To assess alexithymia over a 7-month period.
• To investigate alexithymia's relationship with mental health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• 73 general community adults participated.
• The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S) was administered.
• Self-report measures of anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, and well-being were used across three time points.

Main Results:

• Alexithymia scores demonstrated strong absolute stability.
• No significant differences in alexithymia levels were found across the three time points.
• Alexithymia scores were independent of changes in mental health outcomes, showing good relative stability.

Conclusions:

• Findings support alexithymia's capacity to function as a stable trait.
• This research clarifies the nature of alexithymia.
• Results reinforce alexithymia's status as a risk factor for adverse affective outcomes.