H Berenbaum1, S Irvin. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 61820, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We explored the relationship between alexithymia and interpersonal behavior, particularly the expression of anger. METHODS: Ninety-eight college students completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. A median split was used to divide participants into a low-alexithymia and a high-alexithymia group. The experimenter intentionally engaged in a series of anger-provoking behaviors. RESULTS: Compared to individuals in the low-alexithymia group, individuals in the high-alexithymia group were more interpersonally avoidant and exhibited more nonverbal anger, yet there was a trend for them to describe their lab experience as more pleasant. Among individuals in the high-alexithymia group, the different measures of anger and interpersonal behavior were less strongly associated than they were among individuals in the low-alexithymia group. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide evidence of a complex association between alexithymia and anger, and of the lack of coherence in the communication of individuals with high levels of alexithymia.
BACKGROUND: We explored the relationship between alexithymia and interpersonal behavior, particularly the expression of anger. METHODS: Ninety-eight college students completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. A median split was used to divide participants into a low-alexithymia and a high-alexithymia group. The experimenter intentionally engaged in a series of anger-provoking behaviors. RESULTS: Compared to individuals in the low-alexithymia group, individuals in the high-alexithymia group were more interpersonally avoidant and exhibited more nonverbal anger, yet there was a trend for them to describe their lab experience as more pleasant. Among individuals in the high-alexithymia group, the different measures of anger and interpersonal behavior were less strongly associated than they were among individuals in the low-alexithymia group. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide evidence of a complex association between alexithymia and anger, and of the lack of coherence in the communication of individuals with high levels of alexithymia.
Authors: Giuseppe Scimeca; Antonio Bruno; Manuela Crucitti; Claudio Conti; Diego Quattrone; Gianluca Pandolfo; Rocco Antonio Zoccali; Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello Journal: J Behav Addict Date: 2017-03-01 Impact factor: 6.756