Sylvie Berthoz1, Elisabeth L Hill. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, 42, Boulevard Jourdan, 75674 Paris cedex 14, France. sylvie.berthoz@imm.fr
Abstract
PURPOSE: The current paper focused on the validity of using self-reports to assess emotion regulation abilities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To assess this we sought responses to two alexithymia self-reports and a depression self-report at two time points from adults with and without ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An initial sample of 27 adults with ASD and 35 normal adults completed the 20-item Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20), the Bermond and Vorst alexithymia questionnaire-form B (BVAQ-B), and the Beck depression inventory (BDI), at test time 1. Of these individuals, 19 ASD and 29 controls participated again after a period ranging from 4 to 12 months. RESULTS: ASD participants were able to report about their own emotions using self-reports. BVAQ-B showed reasonable convergent validity and test-retest reliability in both groups. Scores on both alexithymia scales were stable across the two participant groups. However, results revealed that although the TAS-20 total score discriminated between the two groups at both time points, the BVAQ-B total score did not. Moreover, the TAS-20 showed stronger test-retest reliability than the BVAQ-B. CONCLUSION: ASD participants appeared more depressed and more alexithymic than the controls. The use of the BVAQ-B, as an additional assessment of alexithymia, indicated that ASD patients have a specific type of alexithymia characterised by increased difficulties in the cognitive domain rather than the affective aspects of alexithymia.
PURPOSE: The current paper focused on the validity of using self-reports to assess emotion regulation abilities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To assess this we sought responses to two alexithymia self-reports and a depression self-report at two time points from adults with and without ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An initial sample of 27 adults with ASD and 35 normal adults completed the 20-item Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20), the Bermond and Vorst alexithymia questionnaire-form B (BVAQ-B), and the Beck depression inventory (BDI), at test time 1. Of these individuals, 19 ASD and 29 controls participated again after a period ranging from 4 to 12 months. RESULTS:ASDparticipants were able to report about their own emotions using self-reports. BVAQ-B showed reasonable convergent validity and test-retest reliability in both groups. Scores on both alexithymia scales were stable across the two participant groups. However, results revealed that although the TAS-20 total score discriminated between the two groups at both time points, the BVAQ-B total score did not. Moreover, the TAS-20 showed stronger test-retest reliability than the BVAQ-B. CONCLUSION:ASDparticipants appeared more depressed and more alexithymic than the controls. The use of the BVAQ-B, as an additional assessment of alexithymia, indicated that ASDpatients have a specific type of alexithymia characterised by increased difficulties in the cognitive domain rather than the affective aspects of alexithymia.
Authors: Matthew S Goodwin; Carla A Mazefsky; Stratis Ioannidis; Deniz Erdogmus; Matthew Siegel Journal: Autism Res Date: 2019-06-21 Impact factor: 5.216
Authors: Isabel Dziobek; Kimberley Rogers; Stefan Fleck; Markus Bahnemann; Hauke R Heekeren; Oliver T Wolf; Antonio Convit Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2007-11-08
Authors: Heather J Nuske; Melanie Pellecchia; Cary Kane; Max Seidman; Brenna B Maddox; Laura MacMullen Freeman; Keiran Rump; Erica M Reisinger; Ming Xie; David S Mandell Journal: J Appl Dev Psychol Date: 2020-05-04