Cognitive and psychosocial correlates of alexithymia following traumatic brain injury

摘要: Changes in emotional and social behaviour are considered to be amongst the most common debilitating consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Little is known effects TBI on alexithymia, which refers impairment aspects understanding emotions. In current study patients (N=28) were compared with demographically matched healthy controls (N=31) Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), a measure that taps three distinct characteristics alexithymia concept; difficulty identifying emotions, describing emotions externally oriented thinking. Patients also completed measures anxiety, depression, quality life, fluency assess executive function. showed greater levels terms reduced introspection. Difficulty was associated poorer even when depression anxiety controlled. uniquely function deficits. Thus, although studies typically focus cognitive change following head injury, these results lend support Becerra et al.'s (Becerra, R., Amos, A., & Jongenelis, S. (2002). Organic alexithymia: acquired blindness. Brain Injury, 16, 633-645.) notion an 'organic alexithymia', suggest more attention should focused upon assessment post-head injury.