Psychometric properties of the 20-item toronto alexithymia scale and prevalence of alexithymia in a finnish adolescent population.
The authors assessed, in an adolescent population sample, the internal consistency, test-retest stability, and factor structure of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and established the frequency of alexithymia in this age-group. Pupils (N=882; age-groups: 14-, 15-, and 16-year-olds) from two secondary schools completed the TAS-20 questionnaire twice, with a 5-week interval, in a classroom survey setting. TAS total and subscale scores and proportion of subjects exceeding the cut-point for alexithymia are reported for boys and girls. In confirmatory factor analysis, all estimates except one item were statistically significant; there was no gender difference. The authors conclude that the TAS-20 has good psychometric properties in adolescent samples. Alexithymia rate decreases from early to middle adolescence and remains essentially on a level similar to that among adults.
Säkkinen
Päivi
P
Tampere University Hospital, Psychiatric Treatment and Research Unit for Adolescent Intensive Care (EVA), 33380 Pitkäniemi, Finland.
Kaltiala-Heino
Riittakerttu
R
Ranta
Klaus
K
Haataja
Riina
R
Joukamaa
Matti
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires