title: Cross validation of the factor structure of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale: an Italian multicenter study.
abstract: The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) has been shown in previous research to measure a general dimension of alexithymia with three intercorrelated factors. This study evaluated the reliability and factorial validity of an Italian translation of the TAS-20 in a group of normal adults (N = 206) and in a mixed group of medical and psychiatric outpatients (N = 642). Using confirmatory factor analyses, the previously established three-factor model of the TAS-20 was found to be replicable in both groups. In addition, the Italian TAS-20 demonstrated adequate estimates of internal reliability and test-retest reliability. Although evaluation of the convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity of the TAS-20 is required in Italian populations, the present results support the use of the Italian translation of the scale for clinical and research purposes.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore of Milan, Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bressi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bressi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguglia
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Allegranti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bongiorno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giberti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bucca
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Todarello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Callegari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vender
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gala
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014175:Translating