Recently Giannini reported that substance abusers were significantly higher alexithymic scorers than healthy volunteers but that the alexithymia scores correlated positively with scores of mood states on the five-factor model for healthy volunteers not but for substance abusers. This suggested that researchers should not aggregate all substance abusers into one group. To check Giannini's suggestions, further examinations including mood changes in substance abusers seem needed.
References
1.
BagbyR. M.TaylorG. J., & ParkerJ. D. A. (1994) The twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale-I: item selection and cross-validation of the factor structure. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 38, 23–32.
2.
BagbyR. M.TaylorG. J., & ParkerJ. D. A. (1994) The twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale–II: convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 38, 33–40.
3.
FavaG. A.FreybergerH. J.BechP.ChristodoulouG.SenskyT.TheorellT., & WiseT. N. (1995) Diagnostic criteria for use in psychosomatic research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 63, 1–8.
4.
FukunishiI.ChishimaY., & AnzeM. (1994) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and alexithymia in burn patients. Psychological Reports, 75, 1371–1376.
5.
FukunishiI.HosakaT.AokiT.AzekaK.OtaA., & MiyaokaH. (in press) Criterion-related validity of diagnostic criteria for alexithymia in a general hospital psychiatric setting. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.
6.
GianniniA. J. (1995) Suggestions for studies of substance abusers' responses to nonverbal facial cues. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 81, 881–882.
7.
HavilandM. G.ShawD. G.MacMurrayJ. P., & CummingsM. A. (1988) Validation of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale with substance abusers. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 50, 81–87.
8.
HendryxM. S.HavilandM. G., & ShawD. G. (1991) Dimensions of alexithymia and their relationships to anxiety and depression. Journal of Personality Assessment, 56, 227–237.
9.
JimersonD. C.WolfeB. E.FrankoD. L.CovinoN. A., & SifneosN. A. (1994) Alexithymia ratings in bulimia nervosa: clinical correlates. Psychosomatic Medicine, 56, 90–93.
10.
KauhanenJ.JulkunenJ., & SalonenT. (1992) Coping with inner feelings and stress: heavy alcohol use in the context of alexithymia. Behavioral Medicine, 18, 121–126.
11.
NemiahJ. C., & SifneosP. E. (1970) Affect and fantasy in patients with psychosomatic disorders. In HillO. W. (Ed.), Modern trends in psychosomatic medicine.Vol. 2. London: Butterworths. Pp. 26–34.
12.
ParkerJ. D. A.BagbyM., & TaylorG. J. (1991) Alexithymia and depression: distinct or overlapping constructs?Comprehensive Psychiatry, 32, 387–394.
13.
SifneosP. E. (1973) The prevalence of alexithymic characteristics in psychosomatic patients. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 22, 255–262.
14.
TaylorG. J.ParkerJ. D.BagbyR. M., & AcklinN. M. (1992) Alexithymia and somatic complaints in psychiatric out-patients. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 36, 417–424.
15.
WiseT. N.ManL. S., & EpsteinS. (1991) Ego defensive styles and alexithymia: a discriminant validation study. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 56, 141–145.
16.
WiseT. N.ManL. S., & HillM. B. (1990) Alexithymia and depressed mood in the psychiatric patient. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 54, 26–31.