Alexithymia and the implicit self-concept of extraversion in women

Abstract

Findings from studies using self-reports suggest a negative association between the personality traits of alexithymia and extraversion. Self-report measures are assumed to assess aspects of the explicit self-concept of personality. Indirect measures, such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT), were developed to tap into the implicit self-concept of personality. The present study examined for the first time the relationship between self-reported alexithymia and the implicit self-concept of extraversion. The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and an Implicit Association Test (IAT) assessing extraversion were administered to 86 healthy women along with the NEO Five-factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). A significant negative correlation of r=−.26 was found between alexithymia and implicit extraversion that remained significant when controlling for trait anxiety and explicit extraversion. Our study provides first evidence that in individuals with high alexithymia associative representations of the self are less strongly linked to extraversion-related characteristics compared to those with low alexithymia. Our data are consistent with findings demonstrating that alexithymia comes along with social anhedonia, withdrawal, and interpersonal problems.