ALEXITHYMIA, ANGER, AND INTERPERSONAL-BEHAVIOR

Background: We explored the relationship between alexithymia and inter personal behavior, particularly the expression of anger. Methods: Nine ty-eight college students completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. A m edian split was used to divide participants into a low-alexithymia and a high-alexithymia group. The experimenter intentionally engaged in a series of anger-provoking behaviors. Results: Compared to individuals in the low-alexithymia group, individuals in the high-alexithymia gro up were more interpersonally avoidant and exhibited more nonverbal ang er, yet there was a trend for them to describe their lab experience as more pleasant. Among individuals in the high-alexithymia group, the d ifferent measures of anger and interpersonal behavior were less strong ly associated than they were among individuals in the low-alexithymia group. Conclusions: The results provide evidence of a complex associat ion between alexithymia and anger, and of the lack of coherence in the communication of individuals with high levels of alexithymia.