Abstract
In our study, we explored the construct of alexithymia in parents of children with and without ASD using a multi-method approach based on self-rated and external rater assessment. We also assessed the level of self-report measures of negative affect states such as trait anxiety and depression, and investigated the correlation between the alexithymia construct, trait anxiety, and depression within the broader autism phenotype (BAP). A total sample of 100 parents (25 mothers and 25 fathers in each group) were administered the TAS-20 and the TSIA to measure self-reported and observer-rated alexithymia traits, as well as self-report measures of anxiety and depression. Study results showed that the TSIA but not the TAS-20 was able to detect significant group differences in alexithymia traits among parents of children with and without ASD, with parents of ASD children displaying significantly higher levels of alexithymia. Furthermore, differently from the TAS-20, no significant correlations between the TSIA and measures of anxiety and depression were detected. Taken together, our results suggest the importance of using multi-method approaches to control for potential measurement bias and to detect psychological constructs such as alexithymia in subclinical samples such as parents of children with ASD.
Highlights
Alexithymia literally means “absence of words for emotions”
Parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD) did not differ as regards to descriptive variables and intelligent quotient (IQ)
We explored the dimensions of negative affect and trait anxiety in our sample of parents, and in agreement with previous studies, we found significantly higher levels of self-reported trait anxiety and depression in parents of children with ASD, compared with parents of typically developing children (TD) children
Summary
Alexithymia literally means “absence of words for emotions”. It is a personality construct, normally distributed in the general population [1,2], characterized by deficits identifying and describing one’s own emotions and feelings, problems distinguishing between feelings and bodily sensations of emotional arousal, lack of fantasy, externally oriented cognitive style, and impairment in cognitively mapping their feeling states onto internal bodily responses [3,4,5,6]. Difficulties in emotional awareness may have a negative impact on subjective emotion regulation [7] and, in turn, may compromise the understanding of others’ emotions, giving rise to problems in social interaction It has been reported, that individuals with alexithymia show difficulties distinguishing and appreciating emotions. In the cognitive component of recognizing and understanding others emotions, have been reported as one of the distinctive features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) [9,10,11,12,13], a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by socio-communicative impairments and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviors and interests [14]. The most widely used questionnaire to evaluate alexithymia is the Toronto Alexithymia
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
