[Distribution of alexithymia as a personality-trait in psychosomatically ill in-patients--measured with TAS 20 and LEAS].

Preliminary findings of an ongoing study of the distribution of alexithymia in different diagnostic-groups of psychosomatically ill in-patients (n = 240, will be increased to n = 400) are reported. Alexithymiea is measured simultaneousely by the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS, a performance-test) and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS 20, a self-report-scale). Measured by the LEAS and compared with other diagnostic groups (affective, anxiety and compulsive-obsessive disorders; adjustment disorders; eating disorders), patients with somatoform disorders showed a decreased ability to be aware of and to communicate their emotional states. This finding which meets theoretical considerations about the origin of alexithymia could not be found with the TAS 20. The TAS 20 did not differentiate between the diagnostic groups, but showed - in accordance with two other self-report-scales (STAI for self reported anxiety as a personality trait and SCL-90-R for self reported somatic und psychic complaints) - higher mean scores at the onset than at the end of treatment. Methodical implications of the different findings of the two alexithymia scales are discussed.