Is alexithymia affected by situational stress or is it a stable trait related to emotion regulation?

• Published in: Personality and individual differences 2006-05, Vol.40 (7), p.1399-1408
• Main Authors: Mikolajczak, Moïra, Luminet, Olivier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affectivity. Emotion; Alexithymia; Biological and medical sciences; Emotional regulation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mental health; Personality. Affectivity; Psychological distress; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Stress; Temporal stability
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2005.10.020

Numerous studies have found alexithymia to be negatively associated with psychological distress. However, the nature of such an association remains unclear and controversial. Whereas some authors consider alexithymia as a stable personality trait constituting a vulnerability factor regarding mental disorders, other authors view it as a defensive mechanism secondary to the occurrence of psychological distress. The present prospective study (12 weeks follow-up) examines the stability of alexithymia in the context of acute changes in the level of psychological distress. Contrary to most previous studies that have examined alexithymia stability after a reduction in psychological distress, this study examines alexithymia stability in the context of increase in psychological distress. Four indicators of stability were considered: absolute, mean-level, rank-order and relative stability. Although not absolutely stable, alexithymia was found to show a high degree of relative stability despite the acute increase in psychological distress.