Alexithymia

[Page 58]Alexithymia is a dimensional personality trait characterized by three core features. First, persons with elevated alexithymia have difficulty identifying emotional experiences as discrete, subjective feelings that are distinct from physiological experiences. Second, they have trouble communicating their emotions, needs, and motivations to those around them. Last, as a likely result of their difficulties in emotion processing and communication, such persons tend to present with a concrete, utilitarian style of thinking, which focuses on external factors (i.e., facts or spoken words) over internal experiences (i.e., feelings or motivations).

As a result of these features, individuals with elevated alexithymia tend to face more interpersonal conflict, greater emotion regulation difficulties, and higher rates of psychological and medical disorders than do the general population. Although both males and females ...