Alexithymia and Interpersonal Problems

This study examines whether alexithymia relates to specific interpersonal problems, based on data collected in a sample of mental health outpa-tients (N 404) and a student sample (N 157). Linear regression analysis, in which the effects of group, gender, and age were controlled, indicated that two interpersonal problems were significantly and reliably related to alexithymia: cold/distant and nonassertive social functioning. The theoretical relevance of the results for attachment and psychoanalytic theory is indicated, as well as implications of the findings for clinical practice