FACTORIAL VALIDITY OF THE 20-ITEM TORONTO ALEXITHYMIA SCALE

The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was developed in previo us research to measure a general dimension of alexithymia with three i ntercorrelated factors. These three factors reflect distinct facets of the alexithymia construct: (1) difficulty identifying feelings and di stinguishing them from the bodily sensations of emotion, (2) difficult y describing feelings to others, and (3) an externally orientated styl e of thinking. This study tested the three-factor model for the TAS-20 , using confirmatory factor analysis, in separate samples of young adu lts from Germany, Canada, and the United States. The previously establ ished three-factor model was found to be replicable in all three sampl es. In addition, the full TAS-20 and its three factors demonstrated ad equate internal reliability in all three samples. Although evaluation of the convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity of the TAS-20 is required in diverse cultural groups, the present results provide ev idence for the factorial validity and internal reliability of the TAS- 20.