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Skills-based Treatment for Alexithymia: An Exploratory Case Series

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Mataji Kennedy*
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Australia. matajik@hotmail.com
John Franklin
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Australia.
*
*Address for correspondence: Mataji Kennedy, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
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Abstract

This paper describes a skills-based intervention for the treatment of alexithymia. The intervention incorporates components to address the following three areas: the relationship between alexithymia and early life experiences, identifying feelings and expressing feelings. The efficacy of the intervention was explored using three individual case studies extending over 16–24 weekly 1-hour sessions. A number of questionnaires were administered at five time intervals. The results suggest that the treatment was effective in reducing alexithymia within the three individuals and in helping them to clarify, identify and describe their feelings. Following treatment the participants were less ambivalent about expressing their feelings and more attentive to their emotional states. The results were generally maintained at a 1-year follow-up for two of the three cases.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

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