Alexithymia and the Counter-Transference

Background: This article describes the construction and validation of the Amsterdam Alexithymia Scale (AAS) and explores some of the nomological net of alexithymia. Methods: Four correlational studies are presented. The internal structure of the AAS is explored by factor analyses on items. Correlations of the AAS with sex and (Guilford) intellectual abilities are established. Mean scores of three different professional groups are compared. Correlations between the AAS and several clinical and personality scales are determined. Students served as subjects in all studies (347

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Amsterdam Alexithymia Scale: Its Psychometric Values and Correlations with Other Personality Traits

Bermond

Vorst

Vingerhoets

et al. 1999

“…Through his unconscious need to keep a sterile space between himself and others, he manages, by his way of communicating, to stir up considerable affect in others and get them to join him in keeping a distance. In a comprehensive paper, Taylor [1977] expresses ideas that come very close to my own concerning alexithymia and the use of projective identification. He states: 'In my opinion access may be gained to the patient's inner life by considering the feelings of dullness, boredom and frustration as counter-transference experiences.'…”

mentioning

confidence: 92%

Alexithymia: a Psychoanalytic Viewpoint

McDougall¹

1982

100

Alexithymic phenomena may result from a variety of psychological sources. Psychoanalytic observation of psychosomatic patients (and others as well) reveals that the inability to name, recognize, contain or work through one’s affective states is frequently one manifestation of defensive structures of a psychotic kind (more radical than denial which deals with certain neurotic anxieties). Such massive defense has been created as a bulwark against various dangers, such as (1) psychotic anxieties (fear of mental or physical fragmentation; loss of identity-feeling; danger of uncontrollable, explosive action); (2) profound perturbation concerning the narcissistic self-image and its fluctuations, and (3) pathological formation of the ego-ideal structure concerning affective experience. All of these may contribute to the creation of alexithymic defects.

“…In addition, alex ithymies gave endless complaints of physical symptoms, showed striking absence of fantasies, and a tendency toward description of trivial environ mental details, similar to the pensée opératoire as described by de M'Uzan [3,4], These patients have been described as stimulus bound rather than drive directed [5], and utilize denial and repression as major defence mech anisms [2], Alexithymies often elicit a negative countertransference from the therapist, who may find these patients excessively dull and boring [2,6], Problems can arise when the alexithymie is faced with a potentially dangerous situation which requires awareness of feelings. Without an awareness of feeling, the alexithymie reacts with the endless details of the pensée opératoire.…”

Section: Introduction: Phenomenology and Physiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Alexithymia and Somatization

Shipko¹

1982

Although alexithymia was originally described in patients with classical psychosomatic illnesses, attempts to specifically correlate these illnesses with alexithymia have not been successful. Despite the prominent role of somatization in the clinical description of alexithymia, a specific correlation between alexithymia and somatization has not been established. Data are presented which suggest that alexithymia is significantly more prevalent in somatizers than in healthy subjects, or subjects with classical psychosomatic illness in the absence of somatization. Other findings suggest that alexithymia may be a widespread phenomenon not necessarily associated with somatization or other illness. In the absence of debilitating somatization alexithymia may be useful in facilitating task-oriented behavior over prolonged periods of time without distraction.