Alexithymic Trait and Voluntary Control in Healthy Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Gu Xiaosi, Liu Xun, Guise Kevin G., Fossella John, Wang Kai, Fan Jin
Primary Institution: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
Hypothesis
High alexithymia is correlated with lower efficiency of state voluntary control and a deficiency in trait voluntary control.
Conclusion
The study found that alexithymic trait is associated with less efficient voluntary control.
Supporting Evidence
- Alexithymic trait was positively correlated with slower reaction times on the ANT-R.
- Participants with higher TAS-20 scores showed lower scores on the Effortful Control factor of the ATQ.
- The overall mean score of TAS-20 indicated that the sample was not high in alexithymia.
Takeaway
People who have trouble understanding their feelings also find it harder to control their attention and reactions.
Methodology
Participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the revised Attention Network Test (ANT-R) to assess the relationship between alexithymic traits and voluntary control.
Limitations
The study had a limited sample size and focused only on healthy adults, which may not generalize to clinical populations.
Participant Demographics
30 young healthy adult volunteers (15 females and 15 males; mean age 25.4 years).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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