Biomaterial Database

Construct validity of a self-report measure of alexithymia in a psychiatric inpatient sample. 1993

R F Bornstein, and R M O'Neill

Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College, PA 17325.

This study examined the construct validity of a widely used self-report measure of alexithymia in a mixed-sex sample of 101 psychiatric inpatients (62 women and 39 men). Contrary to expectations, scores on Shipko and Noviello's (1984) alexithymia scale (SNALEX) were: (1) correlated positively with a Rorschach index of verbal productivity; (2) unrelated to a Rorschach index of adaptive use of fantasy; (3) correlated negatively with scores on the MMPI L and K scales and correlated positively with scores on the MMPI F scale; and (4) correlated negatively with subject age. In addition, SNALEX scores were correlated negatively with 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 inpatients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D008950	MMPI	A personality inventory consisting of statements to be asserted or denied by the individual. The patterns of response are characteristic of certain personality attributes.	Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
D009497	Neurotic Disorders	Disorders in which the symptoms are distressing to the individual and recognized by him or her as being unacceptable. Social relationships may be greatly affected but usually remain within acceptable limits. The disturbance is relatively enduring or recurrent without treatment.	Neuroses,Psychoneuroses,Disorder, Neurotic,Disorders, Neurotic,Neurotic Disorder
D010554	Personality Disorders	A major deviation from normal patterns of behavior.	Avoidant Personality Disorder,Impulse-Ridden Personality,Inadequate Personality,Avoidant Personality Disorders,Impulse Ridden Personality,Personality Disorder,Personality Disorder, Avoidant,Personality Disorders, Avoidant,Personality, Impulse-Ridden,Personality, Inadequate
D010555	Personality Inventory	Check list, usually to be filled out by a person about himself, consisting of many statements about personal characteristics which the subject checks.	Edwards Personal Preference Schedule,Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,Indicator, Myers-Briggs Type,Inventories, Personality,Inventory, Personality,Myers Briggs Type Indicator,Personality Inventories
D011594	Psychometrics	Assessment of psychological variables by the application of mathematical procedures.	Psychometric
D011618	Psychotic Disorders	Disorders in which there is a loss of ego boundaries or a gross impairment in reality testing with delusions or prominent hallucinations. (From DSM-IV, 1994)	Psychoses,Psychosis, Brief Reactive,Schizoaffective Disorder,Schizophreniform Disorders,Psychosis,Brief Reactive Psychoses,Brief Reactive Psychosis,Disorder, Psychotic,Disorder, Schizoaffective,Disorder, Schizophreniform,Disorders, Psychotic,Disorders, Schizoaffective,Disorders, Schizophreniform,Psychoses, Brief Reactive,Psychotic Disorder,Reactive Psychoses, Brief,Reactive Psychosis, Brief,Schizoaffective Disorders,Schizophreniform Disorder
D005260	Female		Females
D006760	Hospitalization	The confinement of a patient in a hospital.	Hospitalizations