[Feelings without speech or speech without feelings? Further evidence for the decoupling hypothesis of alexithymia]. / Gefühl ohne Sprache oder Sprache ohne Gefühl? Weitere Hinweise auf die Validität der Entkopplungshypothese der Alexithymie.
Nervenarzt
; 70(3): 216-24, 1999 Mar.
Article
en De
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10231808
The theoretical background of the present investigation was the decoupling hypothesis of alexithymia, which presumes for alexithymic individuals a dissociation of psychophysiological indicators of emotion from verbal cognitive awareness of one's emotional state. To study alterations in reactivity to emotionally distressing stimuli in alexithymic individuals, 12 high-alexithymic and 14 low-alexithymic subjects (separated by TAS) out of a general sample of 54 were investigated. All subjects were exposed to cognitive (CPT) and affect inductive (film sequences) distress. During stimulus exposition electrodermal activity (spontaneous fluctuations) was recorded. After stimulus exposition the subjects assessed their emotional reaction towards the film sequences (DAS). Concerning electrodermal activity no differences were found between high and low alexithymics under cognitive distress. In any case a significant autonomous arousal was registered. However, only the low alexithymic subjects but not the high alexithymics showed a significant increase of spontaneous fluctuations as expression of autonomous arousal during presentation of affect inductive stimuli. The altered psychophysiological reactivity found in high alexithymics in contrast to low alexithymic subjects was revealed specifically for the processing of emotional qualified stimuli. However, there was no difference between the groups in cognitive self assessment of emotional response towards the film sequences. The findings are discussed with reference to neurophysiological and psychodynamic models and the decoupling hypothesis of alexithymia.
Buscar en Google
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Síntomas Afectivos
/
Emociones
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
De
Revista:
Nervenarzt
Año:
1999
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Alemania