Assessment of Alexithymia: Psychometric Properties of the Psychological Treatment Inventory-Alexithymia Scale (PTI-AS)

Abstract

Background:The aim of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of a new measure of alexithymia, the Psychological Treatment Inventory-Alexithymia Scale (PTI-AS). Method: A group of 778 participants completed the PTI-AS. In order to evaluate aspects of concurrent validity, a part of the sample (n = 116) completed the PTI-AS, the Twenty-Items Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ). In order to evaluate aspects of discriminant validity a group of patients with a diagnosis of Eating Disorders completed the PTI-AS, the TAS-20 and the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-3). Results: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) showed a solid structure with one factor. Results were confirmed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), which yielded good fit indices (CFI = .98; TLI = .95; RMSEA = .08; SRMR = .04). The PTI Alexithymia Scale showed a good degree of internal consistency (α = .88). Correlations between the PTI Alexithymia Scale, the TAS-20 (r = .74, p < .001) and the BVAQ (r = .40, p < .001) were statistically significant, supporting the scale's concurrent validity. Conclusion: Thanks to its good psychometric properties the PTI-AS can be considered as a brief and useful measure for assessing alexithymia.

French Validation of the Overexcitability Questionnaire 2: Psychometric Properties and Factorial Structure

“…High scores represent high alexithymia. The BVAQ has satisfactory psychometric qualities (Bermond et al, 2007;Bermond, Vorst, Vingerhoets, & Gerritsen, 1999;Vorst & Bermond, 2001): Internal consistency of each dimension varies from .71 to .81 (Zech et al, 1999) and the five-factor structure is satisfactory, x 2 (730) D 1768.8, RMSEA D .062, SRMR D 0.081 (M€ uller, B€ uhner, & Ellgring, 2004).…”

Psychometric Properties of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in a Group of Italian Younger Adolescents

“… 1 2 The term alexithymia (derived from the Greek a=lack, lexis=word and thymos=mood) was introduced by Sifneos 3 to indicate a cognitive-affective disturbance that affects the way individuals regulate their emotions. 2 4 This personality construct has been conceptualized to comprise multiple facets including: 1) difficulty identifying and distinguishing emotions from bodily sensations; 2) difficulty describing and verbalizing emotions; 3) poverty of fantasy life; 4) externally oriented thinking style; and 5) poor empathizing. 5…”

Measuring Alexithymia via Trait Approach-I: A Alexithymia Scale Item Selection and Formation of Factor Structure

“…Different models and approaches have been suggested to evaluate alexithymia in literature (11,69,81,82). The multidimensional construct of alexithymia creates difficulties in measurement (50).…”

“…The self-report forms include the MMPI Alexithymia Scale, whose items were selected from the MMPI, Schalling-Sifneos Personality Scale, Amsterdam Alexithymia Scale, Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Test, which is the revised form of the previous scale, and psychological Treatment Inventory-Alexithymia Scale (78,79,80,81,82). TAS has been found to have good psychometric qualities and to be the most widely used self-report scale (83).…”