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Cited by 26Psychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Developing Emotional Skills and the Therapeutic Alliance in Clients with Alexithymia: Intervention Guidelines

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Nunes da Silva, Ana·2021·Psychopathology
DOI 10.1159/000519786
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Abstract

Despite being a longstanding and well-established concept, alexithymia is unfamiliar for many clinicians. This article aimed to address the alexithymia concept from a clinical perspective based on a review of the research on alexithymia intervention. Several strategies are proposed to help clinicians better work with alexithymic clients in psychotherapy. Alexithymia assessment, its impact on the therapeutic alliance, and the difficulties in emotional tasks are highlighted points. Considering alexithymia will inform clinicians' current diagnosis and conceptualization and provide specific targets and venues for intervention, increasing the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

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  • There has been a relative paucity of intervention studies on psychological treatments for improving alexithymia.

    “however, there has been a relative paucity of intervention studies on psychological treatments for improving alexithymia [34].”

    From Psychological Treatments for Alexithymia: A Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [34]

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  3. Uzun Ö, Ates A, Cansever A, Ozsahin A. Alex- ithymia in male alcoholics: study in a Turkish sample. Compr Psychiatry. 2003; 44: 349-52.
  4. da Silva AN, Vasco AB, Watson JC. Alexi- thymia and emotional processing: a longitudi- nal mixed methods research. Res Psychother. 2018; 21: 40-54.
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  7. da Silva AN, Vasco AB, Watson JC. Alexi- thymia and emotional processing as phenom- ena pertinent to all theoretical orientations. Int J Psychother. 2013; 17: 5-19.
  8. Sekely A, Bagby RM, Porcelli P. Assessment of the alexithymia construct. In: Luminet O, Bag- by RM, Taylor GJ, editors. Alexithymia: ad- vances in research, theory, and clinical practice. UK: Cambridge University Press; 2018. p. 17- 32.
  9. Bagby RM, Taylor GJ, Parker JDA, Dickens SE. The development of the Toronto structured in- terview for alexithymia: item selection, factor structure, reliability and concurrent validity. Psychother Psychosom. 2006; 75: 25-39.
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  13. da Silva ACN, Vasco AB, Watson JC. Alexi- thymia and therapeutic alliance: a multiple case study comparing good and poor outcome cas- es. Res Psychother. 2018; 21: 83-97.
  14. da Silva AN, Vasco AB, Watson JC. Alexi- thymia and emotional processing: a mediation model. J Clin Psychol. 2017; 73: 1196-205.
  15. Dong S, Ju Q, Qiu T, Feng S. Intervention effect of group treatment on different types of alexi- thymia. Chin J Clin Psychol. 2017; 25: 304-9.
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  17. Linehan MM. DBT skills training manual. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press; 2015.
  18. Pedrosa Gil F, Scheidt C, Hoeger D, Nickel M. Relationship between attachment style, paren- tal bonding and alexithymia in adults with so- matoform disorders. Int J Psychiatr Med. 2008; 38: 437-51.
  19. Alexander F, French TM. Psychoanalytic ther- apy: principles and application. New York, NY: Ronald Press; 1946.
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Authors
Nunes da Silva, A.
Venue
Psychopathology
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2021
Volume
54
Issue
6
Pages
282-290
ISSN
  • 0254-4962 (ISSN-L)
  • 1423-033X
DOI
10.1159/000519786
OpenAlex
W3213104461
Cited by
26
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4
FWCI
0.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
alexithymia, therapeutic relationship, emotional competence, psychotherapeutic interventions, emotional awareness
MeSH terms
Therapeutic Alliance, Affective Symptoms, Emotions, Humans, Psychotherapy

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