CHANGES IN SCORES ON ALEXITHYMIA OVER A PERIOD OF PSYCHIATRIC-TREATMENT

We examined changes in alexithymia over a period of psychiatric treatm ent. Scores on a measure of alexithymia construct (affect awareness bu t nor externally oriented thinking) decreased significantly after psyc hiatric treatment, suggesting that alexithymia or affect awareness for patients with psychiatric disorders or psychosocial problems is a sta te reaction rather than a personality trail. As for an association of reactions to stress with alexithymia, a group on high extrapunitivenes s demonstrated significant decrease in scores on affect awareness comp ared to a group on low extrapunitiveness both before and after psychia tric treatment.