Validation of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale with substance abusers.
The purposes of this paper were to complete factor and item analyses of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of mixed substance abusers and to examine the correlations between patients' TAS scores and other variables. Results indicate that the TAS is a reliable, valid measure of alexithymia for substance abusers. The factor structure we found is congruent with the theoretical construct and is similar to those published in the normative studies; coefficient alpha reliability was 0.68. Additionally, a high percentage of the subjects (50.4%) scored in the alexithymic range while 24% had scores in the nonalexithymic range. Patients' TAS scores were positively associated with Beck Depression Inventory scores, with a reported paternal history of alcoholism, and with attempted suicide; TAS scores were negatively associated with being Black.
Haviland
M G
MG
Department of Psychiatry, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Calif.
Shaw
D G
DG
MacMurray
J P
JP
Cummings
M A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010556:Personality Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*