Development of a structured interview for the modified version of the Beth Israel Hospital psychosomatic questionnaire for alexithymia

• Published in: Frontiers in psychiatry 2024-08, Vol.15, p.1356643
• Main Authors: Komaki, Gen, Baba, Takanobu, Yoshida, Toshiyuki, Arimura, Tatsuyuki, Moriguchi, Yoshiya, Maeda, Motonari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: affect awareness; affect regulation; alexithymia (TAS-20); neurosis and psychosomatic symptoms; openness to experience (O); personality
• ISSN: 1664-0640; 1664-0640
• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1356643

An observer-rated questionnaire for alexithymia based on the original 17-item Beth Israel Hospital Psychosomatic Questionnaire for Alexithymia (BIQ) was developed by Sifneos in 1973 and modified into a 12-item version of BIQ by Taylor et al. in 1997. However, it has rarely been used in a clinical or research context and studies have not given satisfactory inter-rater reliability for the 12-item version. To develop a structured interview in Japanese for the12-item modified version of BIQ (m-SIBIQ) to determine the reliability and validity of the m- scores and its factor structure model. Ninety-two Japanese young adults were interviewed. The inter-rater reliability of the m-SIBIQ was assessed by exploratory factor analysis. For the concurrent and convergent validities, correlation analysis was done between the scores of m-SIBIQ and the self-reported questionnaires: 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Emotional Empathy Scale (EES), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Goodness of fit of the structure model of the m-SIBIQ was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, and the results were examined through stepwise multiple regression analysis. Good reliability was obtained for the total score of m-SIBIQ: Cronbach's α.950 (p