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Illuminating the theoretical components of alexithymia using bifactor modeling and network analysis.

Authors: Carolyn A. Watters; Graeme J. Taylor; R. Michael Bagby;

Illuminating the theoretical components of alexithymia using bifactor modeling and network analysis.

Abstract

Alexithymia is a multifaceted personality construct that reflects deficits in affect awareness (difficulty identifying feelings, DIF; difficulty describing feelings, DDF) and operative thinking (externally oriented thinking, EOT; restricted imaginal processes, IMP), and is associated with several common psychiatric disorders. Over the years, researchers have debated the components that comprise the construct with some suggesting that IMP and EOT may reflect constructs somewhat distinct from alexithymia. In this investigation, we attempt to clarify the components and their interrelationships using a large heterogeneous multilanguage sample (N = 839), and an interview-based assessment of alexithymia (Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia; TSIA). To this end, we used 2 distinctly different but complementary methods, bifactor modeling and network analysis. Results of the confirmatory bifactor model and related reliability estimates supported a strong general factor of alexithymia; however, the majority of reliable variance for IMP was independent of this general factor. In contrast, network analysis results were based on a network comprised of only substantive partial correlations among TSIA items. Modularity analysis revealed 3 communities of items, where DIF and DDF formed 1 community, and EOT and IMP formed separate communities. Network metrics supported that the majority of central items resided in the DIF/DDF community and that IMP items were connected to the network primarily through EOT. Taken together, results suggest that IMP, at least as measured by the TSIA, may not be as salient a component of the alexithymia construct as are the DIF, DDF, and EOT components. (PsycINFO Database Record

Related Organizations
Keywords

Adult, Europe, Male, Canada, Mental Disorders, Humans, Female, Affective Symptoms, Models, Psychological

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
37
Top 10%
Top 10%
Top 10%
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