Investigating the Efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy on Alexithymia Features
Najmeh Fath1, Parviz Azadfallah1*, SeyedkazemRasoolzadeh tabatabaee1 and Changiz Rahimi21Department of Psychological, TarbiatModares University, Tehran, Iran.
2Department of Psychological,Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract: Alexithymia refers to difficulties in experiencing, verbalizingand regulating emotions.The present study aims to apply interpersonal psychotherapy principles (IPT)in reduction of alexithymia symptoms.Implementing the TorontoAlexithymiaScale(TAS-20) on384female studentsof the Shiraz University (Iran)andevaluatingthe scores distribution of sample group base on the givenscale, 30 students who were at leastone standard deviationabovethemean ofthe distribution, were randomly selected and divided into control and experimental groups(n = 15in each group).The experimentalgroup experienced interpersonal psychotherapyprogram during 12 sessions and the control group received no intervention. The groups were compared to each other by means of TAS scale and during two stages (post-test and three month follow up).MANCOVA results indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the three alexithymia features: difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings and externally oriented thinking. At the fallow up stage however, there was a significant difference between the groups only in difficulty identifying feelings and describing feelings components. Itseemslogicalthat addressing effective foundations in Alexithymia occurrence (attachment difficulties in early life influencing adulthood) throughemotion regulation and modification within an interpersonal space which is one of the interpersonal psychotherapy goals at the present time, can lead to the improvement of Alexithymia symptoms.
Keywords: Alexithymia; interpersonal psychotherapy; difficulty identifying feelings; Difficulty describing feelings; externally oriented thinking Back to TOC