An application of item response theory to alexithymia assessment among abstinent alcoholics.
An item response theory (IRT) model identified three dimensions assessed by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of 130 male applicants for inpatient care at a Veterans Administration (VA) medical center alcoholism treatment program. A unidimensional solution did not capture all of alexithymia's theoretical features. Subjects with lower alexithymia scores gave positive responses to items tapping emotional awareness deficits; only those with higher alexithymia scores gave positive responses to items tapping external, operative cognitive style. Thus, a total TAS score may not represent alexithymia accurately in substance-abusing patient populations.
Hendryx
M S
MS
Center for Health Services Research, College of Medicine, University of Iowa.
Haviland
M G
MG
Gibbons
R D
RD
Clark
D C
DC
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001364:Awareness; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology*