An Application of Item Response Theory to Alexithymia Assessment Among Abstinent Alcoholics

Abstract

An item response theory (IRT) model identified three dimensions assessed by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a sample of 130 mate applicants for inpatient care at a Veterans Administration (VA) medical center alcoholism treatment program. A unidimensional solution did not capture all of alexithymia's theoretical features. Subjects with lower alexithymia scores gave positive responses to items tapping emotional awareness deficits; only those with higher alexithymia scores gave positive responses to items tapping external, operative cognitive style. Thus, a total TAS score may not represent alexithymia accurately in substance-abusing patient populations.