title: An application of item response theory to alexithymia assessment among abstinent alcoholics.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research, College of Medicine, University of Iowa.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hendryx
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Haviland
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: 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*