title: Reductions in Alexithymia and Emotion Dysregulation After Training Emotional Self-Awareness Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Phase I Trial.
abstract: To examine the acceptability and initial efficacy of an emotional self-awareness treatment at reducing alexithymia and emotion dysregulation in participants with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  
  
  
  An outpatient rehabilitation hospital.
  
  
  
  Seventeen adults with moderate to severe TBI and alexithymia. Time postinjury ranged 1 to 33 years.
  
  
  
  Within subject design, with 3 assessment times: baseline, posttest, and 2-month follow-up.
  
  
  
  Eight lessons incorporated psychoeducational information and skill-building exercises teaching emotional vocabulary, labeling, and differentiating self-emotions; interoceptive awareness; and distinguishing emotions from thoughts, actions, and sensations.
  
  
  
  Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20); Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS); Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI); Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI); Difficulty With Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS); and Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS).
  
  
  
  Thirteen participants completed the treatment. Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed changes on the TAS-20 (P = .003), LEAS (P < .001), TAI (P = .014), STAXI (P = .015), DERS (P = .020), and positive affect (P < .005). Paired t tests indicated significant baseline to posttest improvements on these measures. Gains were maintained at follow-up for the TAS, LEAS, and positive affect. Treatment satisfaction was high.
  
  
  
  This is the first study published on treating alexithymia post-TBI. Positive changes were identified for emotional self-awareness and emotion regulation; some changes were maintained several months posttreatment. Findings justify advancing to the next investigational phase for this novel intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Malec
authors.forename: Flora M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011594:Psychometrics; D013997:Time Factors; D014193:Trauma Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome