This is clearly an area that warrants attention, particularly examining techniques for the rehabilitation of these deficits.

The Faces Intervention effectively improved facial affect recognition in participants with chronic post-traumatic brain injury, and changes were maintained for 6 months. Future work should focus on generalizing this skill to functional behaviors.

Results suggest that people who have a tendency to avoid thinking about emotions (externally-oriented thinking) are more likely to have problems recognizing others' emotions and assuming others' points of view. Clinical implications are discussed.

No abstract

Objectives To examine the acceptability and initial efficacy of an emotional self-awareness treatment at reducing alexithymia and emotion dysregulation in participants with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Setting Outpatient rehabilitation hospital. Participants Seventeen adults with moderate to severe TBI and alexithymia. Time post-injury ranged 1–33 years. Design Within subject design, with 3 assessment times: baseline, posttest, and 2-month follow-up. Intervention Eight lessons incorporated psycho-educational information and skill-building exercises teaching emotional vocabulary, labeling and differentiating self-emotions; interoceptive awareness; and distinguishing emotions from thoughts, actions and sensations. Measures Alexithymia (TAS-20); Emotional Awareness (LEAS); Trait Anxiety (TAI); Depression (PHQ-9); Anger (STAXI); Emotion Dysregulation (DERS); and Positive and Negative affect (PANAS). Results Thirteen participants completed the treatment. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed changes on the TAS-20 (p=.003), LEAS (p<.001), TAI (p=.014), STAXI (p=.015), DERS (p=.020) and Positive Affect (p<.005). Paired t-tests indicated significant baseline to posttest improvements on these measures. Gains were maintained at follow-up for the TAS, LEAS, and Positive Affect. Treatment satisfaction was high. Conclusion This is the first study published on treating alexithymia post-TBI. Positive changes were identified for emotional self-awareness and emotion regulation; some changes were maintained several months post-treatment. Findings justify advancing to the next investigational phase for this novel intervention.

No abstract

This was the first empirical study showing that poor emotional insight (alexithymia) significantly contributes to aggression after TBI. This relation, and the potential clinical implications it may have for the treatment of aggression, warrants further investigation.

These preliminary findings suggest that irritation and anger after TBI may be linked to the negative attributions they make about others' behaviors. Findings further indicate a relationship between negative attributions and trait aggression. Thus, individuals with TBI who have higher trait aggression may have a tendency to make more negative attributions about others' behaviors, and in turn, have stronger feelings of irritation and anger as a response. Future studies with healthy controls and larger sample sizes are needed to build upon this clinically relevant topic.