Alexythimia and Emotional Intelligence: Correlational Study

Emotional intelligence is the ability to use emotional information to guide thinking and actions in an adaptive and constructive way. One of the subareas of emotional intelligence is the perception, or the ability to correctly identify emotions in themselves and others. The alexithymic individuals have difficulty characterizing their own emotional state. This study aimed to find validity evidence for the computerized test of emotional perception in pictures (TPE) relating it with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS). Participated in the study 54 subjects who responded to the instruments. The TPE was punctuated by two methods: consensus of the sample and using the item Response Theory, based on consensus of six experts. Among the results, it was found that lower ability to fantasize (an area of alexithymia) is associated with less ability to perceive emotions in oneself. The results concerning the validity of the instrument are discussed in the text