https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2020.439
A meta-analytic study examining the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation in psychiatric and non-clinical populations
Submitted: November 7, 2019
Accepted: February 6, 2020
Published: May 21, 2020
Accepted: February 6, 2020
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Alexithymia and dissociation have been consistently linked in the literature, particularly in psychiatric populations. Both arise from a disconnection between conscious aspects of self-experiences and perceptions at both the mental self and bodily levels. This results in difficulty integrating thoughts, feelings and experiences into consciousness and memory, negatively impacting emotion awareness/regulation and reflective functioning. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the strength of the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Studies using two common measures of these constructs were included (i.e., the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Dissociative Experiences Scale). Analyzing the effect sizes derived from 19 studies (including a total of 4664 participants) revealed moderate to strong relationships between alexithymia and dissociation. The strength of the association increased in clinical and younger aged non clinical populations. These findings are discussed in the context of treatment recommendations.
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How to Cite
Reyno, S. M., Simmons, M., & Kinley, J. (2020). A meta-analytic study examining the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation in psychiatric and non-clinical populations. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2020.439
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