The Psychophysiological Mechanisms of Alexithymia in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autor/inn/en	Gaigg, Sebastian B.; Cornell, Anna S. F.; Bird, Geoffrey
Titel	The Psychophysiological Mechanisms of Alexithymia in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 22 (2018) 2, S.227-231 (5 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/1362361316667062
Schlagwörter	Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Autism; Correlation; Emotional Response; Arousal Patterns; Psychometrics; Adults; Comorbidity; Experimental Groups; Control Groups; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Intelligence Tests; Diagnostic Tests; Observation; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Autismus; Korrelation; Emotionales Verhalten; Psychometry; Psychometrie; Psychiatrische Symptomatik; Intelligence test; Intelligenztest; Diagnostic test; Diagnostischer Test; Beobachtung
Abstract	Accumulating evidence indicates that co-occurring alexithymia underlies several facets of the social-emotional difficulties common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The mechanisms involved, however, remain poorly understood because measuring alexithymia relies heavily on self-report. To address this issue, carefully matched groups of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and comparison participants rated 70 emotion-inducing pictures on subjectively experienced arousal while skin conductance responses were monitored objectively. The results demonstrated reliable correlations between these subjective and objective measures, and in both groups, around 25% of individual differences in this correlation (i.e. in emotion-relevant interoception) were accounted for by self-reported alexithymia. In the context of the wider literature, this suggests that alexithymia involves a disruption in how physiological arousal modulates the subjective experience of feelings in those with and without a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Since mindfulness-based therapies foster greater awareness of thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations, the findings also have implications for how the symptoms and consequences of alexithymia (e.g. anxiety) might be ameliorated. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01