CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY OF A SELF-REPORT MEASURE OF ALEXITHYMIA IN A PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT SAMPLE

This study examined the construct validity of a widely used self-repor t measure of alexithymia in a mixed-sex sample of 101 psychiatric inpa tients (62 women ad 39 men). Contrary to expectations, scores on Shipk o and Noviello's (1984) alexithymia scale (SNALEX) were: (1) correlate d positively with a Rorschach index of verbal productivity; (2) unrela ted to a Rorschach index of adaptive use of fantasy; (3) correlated ne gatively with scores on the MMPI L and K scales and correlated positiv ely with scores on the MMPI F scale; and (4) correlated negatively wit h subject age. In addition, SNALEX scores were correlated negatively w ith scores on Klieger and Kinsman's (1980) alexithymia scale (KKALEX) in subjects of both sexes. These results do not support the construct validity of the SNALEX as a measure of alexithymia is psychiatric inpa tients.