Observer- and self-rated alexithymia in eating disorder patients: Levels and correspondence among three measures

Sylvie Berthoz, Fabienne Perdereau, Nathalie Godart, Maurice Corcos, Mark G. Haviland
Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2007-03-01; 62(3): 341-347
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2006.10.008

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1. J Psychosom Res. 2007 Mar;62(3):341-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2006.10.008.

Observer- and self-rated alexithymia in eating disorder patients: levels and
correspondence among three measures.

Berthoz S(1), Perdereau F, Godart N, Corcos M, Haviland MG.

Author information:
(1)Department of Psychiatry for Adolescents and Young Adults, IMM, Paris,
France; Univesity Paris V, Paris, France.

OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to evaluate the psychometric properties of the
Observer Alexithymia Scale (OAS) in eating disorder patients, alexithymia
severity across diagnostic subgroups, and correspondence among three alexithymia
measures.
METHOD: Seventy-five women, each with an eating disorder diagnosis, completed
two alexithymia self-reports, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and
the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire-version B (BVAQ-B), and asked a
relative or an acquaintance to rate them using the OAS.
RESULTS: The OAS showed acceptable discriminant validity and interrater
reliability. Patients’ OAS scores were higher than scores reported for
people-in-general samples and lower than those for outpatient clinical samples.
No statistically significant OAS, TAS-20, and BVAQ-B score differences were
found between the patients with anorexia nervosa restrictive type and those with
bulimia nervosa. OAS, TAS-20, and BVAQ-B total scores were moderately,
positively, and significantly correlated.
CONCLUSION: These clinical data show the psychometric strength of the OAS, which
reasonably can be recommended for use with the TAS-20 in research and clinical
practice.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2006.10.008
PMID: 17324685 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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