title: The construct of alexithymia: associations with defense mechanisms.
abstract: Alexithymia is a dimensional personality construct that encompasses a cluster of cognitive and affective characteristics relating to difficulty identifying and describing feelings, limited imaginal capacity, and having an externally oriented thinking style. Attempts to explain the etiology of high levels of alexithymia have resulted in disagreements regarding the relationship between alexithymia and psychological defense mechanisms. Much of the previous research suggests strong associations between alexithymia and immature or maladaptive defense styles. To examine these relationships using correlations, multiple regression and factor analytic techniques, three nonclinical populations in Australia and Canada were studied with a view to evaluating the association of defense mechanisms and response styles with alexithymia. Our results support the association of alexithymia with emotional inhibition, but extend those associations to immature defense styles and aspects of social desirability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. edward.helmes@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helmes
authors.forename: Pamela D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.forename: Ronald R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012928:Social Desirability; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology