PSYCHOPATHY AND ALEXITHYMIA IN FEMALE OFFENDERS

Although there appear to be several affective and behavioural similari ties between psychopathy and alexithymia, there have been few empirica l investigations of the cooccurrence of these two constructs. In this study, we determined their comorbidity in a sample of 37 female offend ers. We also investigated their association with the use of affective language in response to questions about an emotional event, and with t heir propensity for violence. Extent of psychopathy and alexithymia we re assessed with the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), and t he Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), respectively. Using standard cutof f scores, 30% were identified as psychopaths, and 32% as alexithymics. Three women were both psychopaths and alexithymics. The correlation b etween PCL-R and TAS total scores was not significant, but the sociall y deviant, impulsive factor of the PCL-R was significantly correlated with the TAS items that reflect inability to discriminate feelings and bodily sensations. Alexithymia, but not psychopathy, was negatively r elated to measures of affective speech content. Both psychopathy and a lexithymia were associated with a history of violence. In spite of sev eral manifest similarities, psychopathy and alexithymia appear to be d ifferent clinical constructs.