DOCSLIB.ORG

The Relationships Between Alexithymia, Perfectionism, Self-Esteem, Ethnicity and Body Image Disturbance

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Relationships Between Alexithymia, Perfectionism, Self-Esteem, Ethnicity and Body Image Disturbance UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND EDUCATION GRADUATE PROGRAM DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy TITLE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ALEXITHYMIA, PERFECTIONISM, SELF-ESTEEM, ETHNICITY AND BODY IMAGE DISTURBANCE PRESENTED BY WHITNEY ALEXIS KANTACK ACCEPTED BY Steven Abell, Ph.D. 2-24-14 Major Professor Date Barry Dauphin, Ph.D. 2-24-14 Program Director Date Lynn McLean 2-24-14 College of Liberal Arts and Education Date THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ALEXITHYMIA, PERFECTIONISM, SELF- ESTEEM, ETHNICITY AND BODY IMAGE DISTURBANCE by WHITNEY ALEXIS KANTACK DISSERTATION Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Michigan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 2014 PROGRAM: PSYCHOLOGY (CLINICAL) Approved by: Steven Abell, Ph.D.__ 2-24-14_ Advisor Date Elizabeth Hill, Ph.D.________ Libby Blume, Ph.D._________ David Schwartz, Ph.D._______ @ COPYRIGHT BY WHITNEY ALEXIS KANTACK 2014 All Rights Reserved Acknowledgements I would like to thank my husband, Geoffrey, for his continual support and my parents for their encouragement and generosity. I would also like to thank my dissertation chairperson, Dr. Steven Abell, for his guidance and my committee members, Drs. Elizabeth Hill, Libby Blume, and David Schwartz, for their helpful suggestions. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Marvin Margolis for his insight. ii Table of Contents Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………...…1 Body Image……………………………………………………………………………1 Theoretical Perspectives on Development of Body Dissatisfaction…………………..1 Body Dissatisfaction and Body Distortion……………………………………………3 Measurement of Body Distortion……………………………………………...5 Internalization of the Thin Ideal………………………………………………6 Gender and Body Image………………………………………………………8 Alexithymia and Body Dissatisfaction………………………………………………10 Perfectionism and Body Dissatisfaction……………………………………………..12 Multidimensional Models of Perfectionism………………………………….14 Multidimensional Perfectionism Model……………….…………….15 Frost’s Multidimensional Perfectionism Model……………………..16 Other Perspectives on Perfectionism………………………………………...18 Perfectionism, Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating………………...21 Perfectionistic Self-Presentation……………………………………………………..22 Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Body Dissatisfaction………………………….25 Social Physique Anxiety……………………………………………………..26 Perfectionistic Self-Presentation, Alexithymia and Body Dissatisfaction…...27 Self-Esteem and Body Dissatisfaction……………………………………………….28 Body Esteem…………………………………………………………………31 Effects of Enhancing Self-Esteem on Body Dissatisfaction…………………33 Self-Esteem, Body Image and Eating Concerns……………………………..36 Self-Esteem and Body Image during Adolescence…………………………..37 iii Self-Esteem and Body Distortion……………………………………………39 Ethnicity and Body Dissatisfaction…………………………………………………..40 African American Considerations……………………………………………41 Body Image in Non-Western Cultures……………………………………….42 Body Dissatisfaction in Caucasians………………………………………….44 Evolutionary Perspectives on Body Dissatisfaction…………………………44 Comparing Body Dissatisfaction in African Americans and Caucasians……46 Comparing Body Dissatisfaction in Asians and Caucasians………………...51 Comparing Body Dissatisfaction in Hispanics and Caucasians……………..55 Comparing Body Dissatisfaction in Europeans and Americans……………..57 Comparing Body Dissatisfaction in Middle Easterners and Caucasians…….58 International Studies of Body Dissatisfaction………………………………..59 Ethnicity, Self-Esteem and Body Image……………………………………..60 Cultural Considerations for Perfectionism…………………………………...61 Ethnicity and Perfectionistic Self-Presentation……………………………...65 Ethnic Identity and Body Dissatisfaction……………………………………………65 Ethnic Identity among African Americans…………………………………..65 Multiethnic Comparisons of Body Dissatisfaction…………………………..67 Introduction to Present Study………………………………………………………………...69 Hypotheses…………………………………………………………………………...74 Method……………………………………………………………………………………….76 Participants…………………………………………………………………………...76 Measures……………………………………………………………………………..77 Alexithymia…………………………………………………………………..77 iv Perfectionism………………………………………………………………...77 Perfectionistic Self-Presentation……………………………………………..79 Self-Esteem…………………………………………………………………..79 Ethnic Identity………………………………………………………………..80 Body Dissatisfaction…………………………………………………………81 Body Distortion………………………………………………………………82 Eating Disorders Screening…………………………………………………..84 Procedures……………………………………………………………………………84 Statistical Analysis…………………………………………………………………...85 Additional Analyses………………………………………………………….88 Data cleaning………………………………………………………………...89 Results………………………………………………………………………………………..90 Descriptive statistics…………………………………………………………………90 Preliminary Analyses………………………………………………………………...92 Tests of Hypotheses………………………………………………………………….96 Regression Analyses………………………………………………………..101 Test of Mediation…………………………………………………………...107 Additional Analyses………………………………………………………………...108 ANOVA Exploratory Analyses…………………………………………….111 Independent Samples t-Tests Exploratory Analyses………………………..112 Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………..115 Overview……………………………………………………………………………115 Alexithymia and Perfectionism……………………………………………………..115 v Alexithymia and Self-Esteem………………………………………………………116 Self-Esteem and Perfectionism……………………………………………………..116 Alexithymia and Body Satisfaction………………………………………………...117 Perfectionism and Body Satisfaction……………………………………………….118 PSP and Body Satisfaction…………………………………………………………119 Ethnicity and Body Image………………………………………………………….120 Body Image Models………………………………………………………………...121 Appearance Evaluation……………………………………………………..121 Body Areas Satisfaction…………………………………………………….122 The Role of Body Distortion………………………………………………………..122 Exploratory Findings……………………………………………………………….123 Age and Body Image……………………………………………………….123 SES and Body Image……………………………………………………….124 Ethnicity…………………………………………………………………….126 Religion. ……………………………………………………………………126 Clinical Implications………………………………………………………………..127 Psychodynamic Perspective………………………………………………...127 Sociocultural Perspective…………………………………………………...128 Suggested Changes to Model……………………………………………………….130 Limitations………………………………………………………………………….131 Recommendations for Future Research…………………………………………….134 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….136 References…………………………………………………………………………………..138 Abstract………………………………………………………………………….………….184 Autobiographical Statement………………………………………………………………...186 vi List of Tables Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of Participants……………………………………...92 Table 2: SES Characteristics of Participants………………………………………………..93 Table 3: Participant Characteristics………………………………………………………...94 Table 4: Intercorrelations among Independent Variables…………………………………...95 Table 5: Intercorrelations among Body Image Variables…………………………………...95 Table 6: Correlations of Independent Variables with Measures of Body Image……………99 Disturbance Table 7: Group Differences for White Participants and Non-White Participants………….100 Table 8: Regression Analysis Summary for Variables Predicting Appearance……………105 Evaluation Table 9: Regression Analysis Summary for Variables Predicting Body Areas…………….105 Satisfaction Table 10: Regression Analysis Summary for Variables Predicting Body…………………..106 Dissatisfaction Table 11: Regression Analysis Summary for Mediational Effect of Body………………….109 Satisfaction Measures between MEIM and Body Distortion Table 12: Correlations of Exploratory Variables with Measures of Body Image………….109 Disturbance Table 13: Correlations of Independent Variables with Participant Characteristics………110 Table 14: Group Differences for Roman Catholic Participants and Participants…………114 of Other Christian Denominations vii 1 The Relationships between Alexithymia, Perfectionism, Self-Esteem, Ethnicity and Body Image Disturbance Literature Review Body Image Body image, as described by Birthchnell, Lacey, and Harte, involves physiological, conceptual, and emotional components (1985). The cognitive ability to recognize size and weight (physiological), capacity to hold a mental image of one’s body in her mind (conceptual), and the attitudes towards the form and weight of one’s body (emotional) contribute to the development of body image (Birthchnell et al., 1985). In modern culture, the primary foci pertaining to body image appear to be on one’s weight and shape of the body (Tiggemann & Lynch, 2001). Recent data suggests that 80 percent of women in the United States are dissatisfied with their appearance (Ross, 2013). This negative attitude towards the body extends to young American girls. For instance, it is documented that 50-70 percent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight, with 81 percent of ten year old girls reportedly feeling afraid of becoming overweight. Additionally, 35 percent of 6-12 year old girls have a desire to diet and 42 percent of first through third grade girls have a desire to lose weight (Ross, 2013). Theoretical Perspectives on Development of Body Dissatisfaction Psychoanalytic theory paints negative views of one’s physical appearance as a reflection of a harsh, critical superego that attacks the self for thoughts and feelings that are perceived to be unacceptable (Freud, 1936). Anna Freud described a defense mechanism employed by the ego known as “turning against the self” which refers to the redirection of these unacceptable, negative emotions towards a person (i.e., anger or criticism) against the self. Holding one’s feelings inside can often feel
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Alexithymia – Not Autism – Is Associated with Frequency of Social T Interactions in Adults ∗ Alan H
    Behaviour Research and Therapy 123 (2019) 103477 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Behaviour Research and Therapy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/brat Alexithymia – Not autism – is associated with frequency of social T interactions in adults ∗ Alan H. Gerbera, Jeffrey M. Girardb, Stacey B. Scotta, Matthew D. Lernera, a Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA b Language Technologies Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Objective: While much is known about the quality of social behavior among neurotypical individuals and those Alexithymia with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little work has evaluated quantity of social interactions. This study used Autism ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to quantify in vivo daily patterns of social interaction in adults as a ASD function of demographic and clinical factors. EMA Method: Adults with and without ASD (NASD = 23, NNeurotypical = 52) were trained in an EMA protocol to report Social interaction their social interactions via smartphone over one week. Participants completed measures of IQ, ASD symptom severity and alexithymia symptom severity. Results: Cyclical multilevel models were used to account for nesting of observations. Results suggest a daily cyclical pattern of social interaction that was robust to ASD and alexithymia symptoms. Adults with ASD did not have fewer social interactions than neurotypical peers; however, severity of alexithymia symptoms predicted fewer social interactions
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of Alexithymia and Emotion Perception in Music, Odor, Taste, and Touch
    MINI REVIEW published: 30 July 2021 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.707599 Beyond Face and Voice: A Review of Alexithymia and Emotion Perception in Music, Odor, Taste, and Touch Thomas Suslow* and Anette Kersting Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany Alexithymia is a clinically relevant personality trait characterized by deficits in recognizing and verbalizing one’s emotions. It has been shown that alexithymia is related to an impaired perception of external emotional stimuli, but previous research focused on emotion perception from faces and voices. Since sensory modalities represent rather distinct input channels it is important to know whether alexithymia also affects emotion perception in other modalities and expressive domains. The objective of our review was to summarize and systematically assess the literature on the impact of alexithymia on the perception of emotional (or hedonic) stimuli in music, odor, taste, and touch. Eleven relevant studies were identified. On the basis of the reviewed research, it can be preliminary concluded that alexithymia might be associated with deficits Edited by: in the perception of primarily negative but also positive emotions in music and a Mathias Weymar, University of Potsdam, Germany reduced perception of aversive taste. The data available on olfaction and touch are Reviewed by: inconsistent or ambiguous and do not allow to draw conclusions. Future investigations Khatereh Borhani, would benefit from a multimethod assessment of alexithymia and control of negative Shahid Beheshti University, Iran Kristen Paula Morie, affect. Multimodal research seems necessary to advance our understanding of emotion Yale University, United States perception deficits in alexithymia and clarify the contribution of modality-specific and Jan Terock, supramodal processing impairments.
    [Show full text]
  • Connections Between Sensory Sensitivities in Autism
    PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal Volume 13 Issue 1 Underrepresented Content: Original Article 11 Contributions in Undergraduate Research 2019 Connections Between Sensory Sensitivities in Autism; the Importance of Sensory Friendly Environments for Accessibility and Increased Quality of Life for the Neurodivergent Autistic Minority. Heidi Morgan Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/mcnair Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Morgan, Heidi (2019) "Connections Between Sensory Sensitivities in Autism; the Importance of Sensory Friendly Environments for Accessibility and Increased Quality of Life for the Neurodivergent Autistic Minority.," PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal: Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 11. https://doi.org/10.15760/mcnair.2019.13.1.11 This open access Article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). All documents in PDXScholar should meet accessibility standards. If we can make this document more accessible to you, contact our team. Portland State University McNair Research Journal 2019 Connections Between Sensory Sensitivities in Autism; the Importance of Sensory Friendly Environments for Accessibility and Increased Quality of Life for the Neurodivergent Autistic Minority. by Heidi Morgan Faculty Mentor: Miranda Cunningham Citation: Morgan H. (2019). Connections between sensory sensitivities in autism; the importance of sensory friendly environments for accessibility and increased quality of life for the neurodivergent autistic minority. Portland State University McNair Scholars Online Journal, Vol. 0 Connections Between Sensory Sensitivities in Autism; the Importance of Sensory Friendly Environments for Accessibility and Increased Quality of Life for the Neurodivergent Autistic Minority.
    [Show full text]
  • Alexithymia, Empathy, and Autism
    Living Autism We find autism services, autism advice and autism support https://livingautism.com Alexithymia, Empathy, and Autism Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairment in (a) reciprocal social interaction and communication and (b) restricted and/or repetitive behaviors or interests. These delays or atypicality in social development, communication, neurocognition, and behavior vary in severity of symptoms, age of onset, and association with other disorders. However, it is deficits in social relatedness that are the major source of impairment and the core- defining feature of ASD, regardless of cognitive or language ability. This includes difficulties in communicating with others, processing and integrating emotional information, establishing and maintaining reciprocal social relationships, taking another person's perspective, and inferring the interests of others. An important aspect of social relatedness is the ability to empathize with the feelings of others. Empathy involves two major components: a cognitive component (e.g., theory of mind, perspective taking, or mindreading) and an affective component (emotional processing) which allows us to share the feelings of others. The affective component of sympathy involves having an appropriate emotional reaction to another person’s thoughts and feelings. When engaged in affective empathy, we vicariously experience the emotional states of others, understanding that our feelings are not ours but rather those of the other individual. Alexithymia, Empathy, and Autism While autism has been shown to be associated with a deficit in perspective taking (cognitive empathy), it is much less clear to what degree individuals with ASD also experience deficits in affective empathy. In fact, it is uncertain whether the empathy deficit commonly attributed to individuals with autism is a result of the disorder itself, or if it is a consequence of a comorbid (co- occurring) subclinical condition known as alexithymia.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Alexithymia in Reduced Eye- Fixation in Autism Spectrum Conditions
    The Role of Alexithymia in Reduced Eye- Fixation in Autism Spectrum Conditions Geoffrey Bird, Clare Press & Daniel C. Richardson Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ISSN 0162-3257 Volume 41 Number 11 J Autism Dev Disord (2011) 41:1556-1564 DOI 10.1007/s10803-011-1183-3 1 23 Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be self- archived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your work, please use the accepted author’s version for posting to your own website or your institution’s repository. You may further deposit the accepted author’s version on a funder’s repository at a funder’s request, provided it is not made publicly available until 12 months after publication. 1 23 Author's personal copy J Autism Dev Disord (2011) 41:1556–1564 DOI 10.1007/s10803-011-1183-3 ORIGINAL PAPER The Role of Alexithymia in Reduced Eye-Fixation in Autism Spectrum Conditions Geoffrey Bird • Clare Press • Daniel C. Richardson Published online: 5 February 2011 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 Abstract Eye-tracking studies have demonstrated mixed People tend to immediately look at each others’ faces, (e.g. support for reduced eye fixation when looking at social Birmingham et al. 2008; van der Geest et al. 2002; Yarbus scenes in individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions 1967), and in particular, their eyes (e.g. Pelphrey et al. 2002; (ASC). We present evidence that these mixed findings are Walkersmith et al.
    [Show full text]
  • UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Social
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Social Justice and Autism: Links to Personality and Advocacy A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education by Steven Kenneth Kapp 2016 © Copyright by Steven Kenneth Kapp 2016 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Social Justice and Autism: Links to Personality and Advocacy by Steven Kenneth Kapp Doctor of Philosophy in Education University of California, Los Angeles, 2016 Professor Connie L. Kasari, Chair Autism’s history as an independent condition may originate from “autistic psychopathy”, but autism and psychopathy may entail opposite patterns of personality. Autism may incline people toward moral intuitions in the dimensions of care, loyalty, authority, sanctity, and especially fairness. Yet these may play an unconscious and visceral role that in combination with difficulties with moral reasoning and the understanding of one’s own and others’ emotional and mental states, reduces self- and other awareness of autistic people’s moral drives. Conversely, psychopathic people may have low moral values (particularly for care and fairness), yet usually strong moral reasoning skills, cognitive empathy, and mentalizing abilities. This contrast adds to the literature in part through emphasizing basic sensory and motor differences, in transaction with the social environment and life experience, as underlying these personality-relevant ii distinctions between autism and psychopathy. It thus attempts to embody both conditions, with the understanding that all behavior involves motor activity, and to think of both conditions as neurodevelopmental in their origins and early trajectories. Such an analysis raises the importance of strengths, as a matter of individual differences as well as influences from the environment, that can help to distinguish and even cause the conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Alexithymia from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Alexithymia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Alexithymia (pronounced /əˌlɛksəˈθaɪmiə/) from the Greek words λεξις and θυµος (literally "without words for emotions") is a term coined by Peter Sifneos in 1973[1][2] to describe a state of deficiency in understanding, processing, or describing emotions. Classification Alexithymia is considered to be a personality trait that places individuals at risk for other medical and psychiatric disorders while reducing the likelihood that these individuals will respond to conventional treatments for the other conditions.[3] Alexithymia is not classified as a mental disorder in the DSM IV. It is a personality trait that varies in severity from person to person. A person's alexithymia score can be measured with questionnaires such as the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ)[4] or the Observer Alexithymia Scale (OAS).[3] Alexithymia is defined by:[5] (i) difficulty identifying feelings and distinguishing between feelings and the bodily sensations of emotional arousal (ii) difficulty describing feelings to other people (iii) constricted imaginal processes, as evidenced by a paucity of fantasies (iv) a stimulus-bound, externally oriented cognitive style. In studies of the general population the degree of alexithymia was found to be influenced by age, but not by gender; the rates of alexithymia in healthy controls have been found at 8.3% (2 of 24 persons) 4.7% (2 of 43), 8.9% (16 of 179), and 7% (4 of 56). Thus, several studies have reported that the prevalence rate of alexithymia is less than 10% in healthy controls.[6] A less common finding suggests that there may be a higher prevalence of alexithymia amongst males than females, which may be accounted for by difficulties they have with 'describing feelings', but not by a difficulty in 'identifying feelings' in which males and females show similar abilities.[7] The alexithymia construct is strongly inversely related to the concepts of psychological mindedness[8] and emotional intelligence[9][10] and M.
    [Show full text]
  • Alexithymia Traits Outweigh Autism Traits in the Explanation Of
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Alexithymia traits outweigh autism traits in the explanation of depression in adults with autism Carola Bloch 1,2*, Lana Burghof1, Fritz‑Georg Lehnhardt1, Kai Vogeley1,3 & Christine Falter‑Wagner2,4 When contemplating the alarming depression rates in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a need to fnd factors explaining heightened symptoms of depression. Beyond the impact of autism traits, markedly increased levels of alexithymia traits should be considered as a candidate for explaining why individuals with ASD report higher levels of depressive symptoms. Here, we aim to identify the extent to which autism or alexithymia traits indicate depressive symptoms in ASD and whether the pattern of association are specifc to ASD. Data of a large (N = 400) representative clinical population of adults referred to autism diagnostics have been investigated and split by cases with a confrmed ASD diagnosis (N = 281) and cases with a ruled out ASD diagnosis (N = 119). Dominance analysis revealed the alexithymia factor, difculties in identifying feelings, as the strongest predictor for depressive symptomatology in ASD, outweighing autism traits and other alexithymia factors. This pattern of prediction was not specifc to ASD and was shared by clinical controls from the referral population with a ruled out ASD diagnosis. Thus, the association of alexithymia traits with depression is not unique to ASD and may constitute a general psychopathological mechanism in clinical samples. Autism traits and depression. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized as a developmental disorder that entails pervasive peculiarities in communication and social interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive behavior, which exist as main diagnostic categories according to ICD-101.
    [Show full text]
  • Extreme Sensory Processing Patterns and Relation with Autistic And
    2ºCICLO DE ESTUDOS MESTRADO EM PSIQUIATRIA E SAÚDE MENTAL Extreme sensory processing patterns and relation with autistic and alexithymic traits among parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder – an exploratory study Ana Sofia Machado M 2020 DE FACULDADE MEDICINA Agradecimentos Finda esta jornada, apresento a minha gratidão a todos os profissionais da Unidade de Primeira Infância do Departamento de Psiquiatria de Infância e Adolescência em especial a Terapeuta Catarina BarBosa, pela partilha do conhecimento na área das perturBações do processamento sensorial, à Dr.ª Sara Rodrigues e Dr.ª Filipa Lopes pela colaBoração no recrutamento dos participantes e à minha orientadora de estágio, Dr.ª Goretti Dias, pela ajuda no desenho do estudo, facilitação do mesmo em todos os estadios e pela partilha do extenso conhecimento científico. Uma palavra de apreço ao colega Dr. José Manuel Borges, responsável pela tradução portuguesa da Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, que facilitou todo o processo de autorização do uso da mesma. Agradeço tamBém à Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto pelo financiamento da licença de uso da escala sem a qual este estudo não seria possível. Assim como, ao Professor Doutor Rui Coelho, por, na qualidade de Diretor do Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, ter incentivado a proposta de financiamento para adquirir a licença de uso do instrumento assim como, por ouvir, considerar e podar as minhas ideias e projetos. Aos meus colegas, familiares (em especial, a minha irmã) e amigos que participaram no estudo como população controlo ou suporte emocional. Por fim, à responsável pela minha orientação nesta tese de mestrado, a Professora Irene Carvalho, pela imensa disponiBilidade, pela paciência nas dúvidas existenciais, por ter acreditado mesmo quando eu duvidava e pelo extenso conhecimento que me transmitiu.
    [Show full text]
  • Running Head: AUTISM and the READING the MIND in the EYES TEST 1
    Running head: AUTISM AND THE READING THE MIND IN THE EYES TEST 1 Submitted to Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 16th February 2016; revisions submitted 25th April 2016 and 17th May 2016; accepted 17th May 2016. ‘Theory of Mind’ is not Theory of Emotion: A cautionary note on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test Beth F. M. Oakley University of Cambridge Rebecca Brewer, Geoffrey Bird and Caroline Catmur King’s College London Author Note Beth F. M. Oakley, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK and School of Psychology, University of Surrey, UK. Rebecca Brewer, MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, UK and School of Psychology, University of East London, UK. Geoffrey Bird, MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, UK and Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK. Caroline Catmur, Department of Psychology, King’s College London, UK and School of Psychology, University of Surrey, UK. This research was supported by the Wellcome Trust [Biomedical Vacation Scholarship to CC supporting BFMO]. AUTISM AND THE READING THE MIND IN THE EYES TEST 2 Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Caroline Catmur, Department of Psychology, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, UK, [email protected] AUTISM AND THE READING THE MIND IN THE EYES TEST 3 Abstract The ability to represent mental states (‘Theory of Mind’; ToM) is crucial in understanding individual differences in social ability, and social impairments evident in conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” Test (RMET) is a popular measure of ToM ability, validated in part by the poor performance of those with ASD.
    [Show full text]
  • Interoception, Alexithymia and Empathy in Autism
    1 The feeling of me feeling for you: Interoception, alexithymia and empathy in autism. Short title: Interoception, alexithymia and empathy in autism. Cari-lène Mul – Anglia Ruskin University1 Steven D. Stagg – Anglia Ruskin University1 Bruno Herbelin – Center of Neuroprothetics, EPFL2 Jane E. Aspell – Anglia Ruskin University1 1Department of Psychology Faculty of Science and Technology Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge CB1 1PT United Kingdom 2 EPFL Center of Neuroprosthetics Campus Biotech Batiment H4 Chemin Des Mines 9 CH-1202 Geneva Switserland The authors declare no conflict of interest. 1 2 Abstract Following recent evidence for a link between interoception, emotion and empathy, we investigated relationships between these factors in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 26 adults with ASD and 26 healthy participants completed tasks measuring interoception, alexithymia and empathy. ASD participants with alexithymia demonstrated lower cognitive and affective empathy than ASD participants without alexithymia. ASD participants showed reduced interoceptive sensitivity (IS), and also reduced interoceptive awareness (IA). IA was correlated with empathy and alexithymia, but IS was related to neither. Alexithymia fulfilled a mediating role between IA and empathy. Our findings are suggestive of an alexithymic subgroup in ASD, with distinct interoceptive processing abilities, and have implications for diagnosis and interventions. Keywords: autism, interoception, empathy, alexithymia 2 3 The feeling of me feeling for you: Interoception, alexithymia
    [Show full text]
  • Measuring Alexithymia in Autistic People
    Spectrum | Autism Research News https://www.spectrumnews.org OPINION, VIEWPOINT Measuring alexithymia in autistic people BY KATHERINE GOTHAM, ZACHARY J. WILLIAMS 24 AUGUST 2021 Listen to this story: People vary greatly in their ability to identify and describe the emotions they feel every day. While many people can easily tell when they are happy, sad, angry or frightened, others have great difficulty making sense of their emotional states or describing them to others. People with such challenges are said to have high levels of ‘alexithymia,’ a personality trait that literally translates to “no words for emotions.” In addition to problems identifying and describing feelings, people with high alexithymia prefer to focus their thoughts on things they can see or touch, rather than their own or others’ emotional experiences, a cognitive style that has been termed ‘externally oriented thinking.’ Many people on the autism spectrum are familiar with alexithymia, even if they haven’t heard the term. Studies estimate that nearly half of autistic adults exceed clinical cutoffs for ‘high alexithymia,’ compared with just 5 to 10 percent of the general population. Among autistic people, higher levels of alexithymia predict more significant social communication difficulties, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety. Additionally, research suggests that certain characteristics commonly associated with autism (such as empathy differences and difficulty recognizing emotional facial expressions) may actually result from alexithymia rather than autism itself. Despite the growing interest in alexithymia in autism research, few studies have looked at whether the tools commonly used to measure this trait work reliably in autistic populations.
    [Show full text]