A History of the Alexithymia Concept and Its Explanatory Models: An Epistemological Perspective.

Francisco López-Muñoz,Francisco Pérez-Fernández

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.01026

Abstract

Alexithymia, as a theoretical psychotherapeutic construct, finds its origins in psychosomatic medicine, actually being quite old. However, beyond the specific observations and case studies, their characterization and systematization is relatively recent. However, from an epistemological point of view, it remains the subject of debate and therefore remains outside the conventional diagnostic guidelines. Possibly, its history, closely linked to psychoanalysis, as well as the lack of clear empirical references, has turned the alexithymia construct before into a good descriptive and comprehensive framework than in a precise diagnostic model. In this article it is, following the thread conduits of the historical perspective, to deepen these epistemological aspects.

Highlights

Psychosomatic medicine in general is based on the principle that emotions and personality have an impact on bodily functions, and thereby play a part in physical wellbeing or illness
The historical debate on the issue of alexithymia is readily understandable when observed from an epistemological perspective, as it involves a rerun of the age-old conflict between basic and applied science, which in this case takes the form of a showdown between the therapist’s clinical observation and the critical eye of experimental methodology
It is true to say that Nemiah and Sifneos do not “discover” alexithymia—the latter has earned greater fame than the former by given it its name and investing more effort in its definition and disclosure— they should be granted the merit of managing to formulate a coherent explanatory model that integrates a long tradition of real and systematic medical observations that pointed toward a problem that basic research had failed to resolve, but had not even detected

Summary

A History of the Alexithymia Concept and Its Explanatory Models

Reviewed by: Laura Orsolini, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Federica Vellante, Università degli Studi G. d’Annunzio Chieti e Pescara, Italy Roberta Vecchiotti, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Italy. Beyond the specific observations and case studies, their characterization and systematization is relatively recent. Its history, closely linked to psychoanalysis, as well as the lack of clear empirical references, has turned the alexithymia construct before into a good descriptive and comprehensive framework than in a precise diagnostic model. In this article it is, following the thread conduits of the historical perspective, to deepen these epistemological aspects

INTRODUCTION

A DEBATED MODEL

CONCLUSION