Relative Stability of Alexithymia and Openness to Emotions in one Psychiatric Day Hospital Setting

[en] Alexithymia (literally, difficulty finding words for emotions) and Openness to Emotions (OE: referring to the cognitive representation, communication, regulation, perception of internal and external bodily sensations, and social restriction of emotions) are strongly linked to psychopathology. The absolute and relative stability hypotheses were tested in order to determine whether significant changes occurred on these constructs after therapy, a condition where changes were expected for both constructs. Negative attitudes toward treatment (NTI) and perceived social support (PSS) were expected to significantly predict alexithymia and OE. Patients (N=179) who participated in this longitudinal study filled-in the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Dimensions of Openness to Emotions scale, the NTI subscale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Social Desirability scale. After treatment, we observed significant decrease of all alexithymia scores and significant increases of three OE scores, that is, cognitive representation, communication, and regulation of emotions. Regression analyses revealed that gender, age, NTI, and PSS were significant predictors of alexithymia and OE. NTI strongly predicted lower OE levels and higher alexithymia levels, whereas PSS had opposite predicting effects on these constructs. In conclusion, the significant changes, and the moderate to high correlational levels observed between before and after alexithymia and OE scores, strengthen the relative stability hypothesis for both constructs. In addition, PSS represents a protective factor and NTI a vulnerability indicator for therapists. Our aim is to optimize treatment by providing therapists treating emotion difficulties a more concrete array of variables that potentially either promote or subvert recovery.

Disciplines :

Psychiatry

Author, co-author :

Triffaux, Jean-Marc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Psychologie médicale

Nasello, Julian ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psycho-traumatisme

Luminet, Olivier; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL > Research Institute for Psychological Sciences

Servais, Catherine; Hôpital de Jour Universitaire "La Clé"

Close, Mireille; Hôpital de Jour Universitaire "La Clé"

Quertemont, Etienne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Doyen de la Fac. de Psych., Logopédie et Sc. de l'Education

Blavier, Adelaïde ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psycho-traumatisme

Language :

English

Title :

Relative Stability of Alexithymia and Openness to Emotions in one Psychiatric Day Hospital Setting

Alternative titles :

[en] La Stabilité Relative de l'Alexithymie et de l'Ouverture Emotionnelle dans un Hôpital de Jour Psychiatrique

Publication date :

April 2020

Journal title :

Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy

ISSN :

1063-3995

eISSN :

1099-0879

Publisher :

John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, United States - New Jersey

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 13 April 2020

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