The validity of using self-reports to assess emotion regulation abilities in adults with autism spectrum disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The current paper focused on the validity of using self-reports to assess emotion regulation abilities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To assess this we sought responses to two alexithymia self-reports and a depression self-report at two time points from adults with and without ASD.


METHODS
An initial sample of 27 adults with ASD and 35 normal adults completed the 20-item Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20), the Bermond and Vorst alexithymia questionnaire-form B (BVAQ-B), and the Beck depression inventory (BDI), at test time 1. Of these individuals, 19 ASD and 29 controls participated again after a period ranging from 4 to 12 months.


RESULTS
ASD participants were able to report about their own emotions using self-reports. BVAQ-B showed reasonable convergent validity and test-retest reliability in both groups. Scores on both alexithymia scales were stable across the two participant groups. However, results revealed that although the TAS-20 total score discriminated between the two groups at both time points, the BVAQ-B total score did not. Moreover, the TAS-20 showed stronger test-retest reliability than the BVAQ-B.


CONCLUSIONS
ASD participants appeared more depressed and more alexithymic than the controls. The use of the BVAQ-B, as an additional assessment of alexithymia, indicated that ASD patients have a specific type of alexithymia characterised by increased difficulties in the cognitive domain rather than the affective aspects of alexithymia.
Berthoz
Sylvie
S
Department of Psychiatry, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, 42, Boulevard Jourdan, 75674 Paris cedex 14, France. sylvie.berthoz@imm.fr
Hill
Elisabeth L
EL
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires