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Alexithymia and facial emotion recognition in patients with eating disorders
Author(s) -
Kessler Henrik,
Schwarze Markus,
Filipic Suzanne,
Traue Harald C.,
von Wietersheim Joern
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.20228
Subject(s) - alexithymia , psychology , toronto alexithymia scale , eating disorders , psychopathology , anorexia nervosa , emotion recognition , clinical psychology , bulimia nervosa , facial expression , anorexia , medicine , communication , neuroscience
Objective Patients with anorexia or bulimia nervosa are reported to show high levels of alexithymia and to have difficulties recognizing facially displayed emotions. The current study tested whether it could be that facial emotion recognition is a basic skill that is independent from alexithymia. Method We assessed emotion recognition skills and alexithymia in a group of 79 female inpatients with eating disorders and compared them with a group of 78 healthy female controls. Instruments used were the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Facially Expressed Emotion Labeling (FEEL) test, and the revised Symptom Check List (SCL‐90‐R). Results There were no significant differences between patients and controls in their emotion recognition scores, but patients with eating disorders displayed significantly more alexithymia and psychopathology. Emotion recognition in patients was not related to alexithymia, psychopathology, or clinical symptoms. Conclusion We suggest that the reported alexithymia of patients with eating disorders is complex and independent from basic facial emotion recognition. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006