Does the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale Measure Alexithymia? A Study of Natural Language Use

Construct validity of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS–20) was investigated by analyzing natural language use. It was hypothesized that the TAS–20 should be related to a lower use of emotion words and fewer references to social processes. 32 clinical interviews with mental health outpatients were analyzed with four categories of the computerized Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count dictionary: positive emotions, negative emotions, references to others, and communication words. The Difficulty Identifying Feelings subscale was positively related to negative emotion words, the Difficulty Describing Feelings subscale showed no relevant associations, and the Externally Oriented Thinking subscale was related to reduced use of positive emotion words and social process words. It is concluded that in this sample, the Externally Oriented Thinking subscale provides the best operationalization of the alexithymia construct.

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Suicidal Traits in Marilyn Monroe’s Fragments

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000183 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 124-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

M. Fernández-Cabana ◽

A. García-Caballero ◽

M. T. Alves-Pérez ◽

M. J. García-García ◽

R. Mateos

Keyword(s):

Language Use ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

First Person ◽

Word Count ◽

Linguistic Features ◽

Emotion Words ◽

Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽

Linguistic Inquiry ◽

Linguistic Categories

Background: Linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC), a computerized method for text analysis, is often used to examine suicide writings in order to characterize the quantitative linguistic features of suicidal texts. Aims: To analyze texts compiled in Marilyn Monroe’s Fragments using LIWC, in order to explore the use of different linguistic categories in her narrative over the years. Method: Selected texts were grouped into four periods of similar word count and processed with LIWC. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess changes in language use across the documents over time. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to compare means between periods and for each of the 80 LIWC output scores. Results: Significant differences (p < .05) were found in 11 categories, the most relevant being a progressive decrease in the use of negative emotion words, a reduction in the use of long words in the third period, and an increase in the proportion of personal pronouns used as Monroe approached the time of her death. Conclusions: The consistently elevated usage of first-person personal singular pronouns and the consistently diminished usage of first-person personal plural pronouns are in line with previous studies linking this pattern with a low level of social integration, which has been related to suicide according to different theories.

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Negative Emotion Differentiation Predicts Psychotherapy Outcome: Preliminary Findings

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.689407 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Gal Lazarus ◽

Aaron J. Fisher

Keyword(s):

Treatment Response ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Behavioral Treatment ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment ◽

Emotion Differentiation ◽

Clinical Interviews ◽

Related Information

Emotion differentiation (ED), the extent to which same-valenced emotions are experienced as distinct, is considered a valuable ability in various contexts owing to the essential affect-related information it provides. This information can help individuals understand and regulate their emotional and motivational states. In this study, we sought to examine the extent to which ED can be beneficial in psychotherapy context and specifically for predicting treatment response. Thirty-two prospective patients with mood and anxiety disorders completed four daily assessments of negative and positive emotions for 30 days before receiving cognitive-behavioral treatment. Depression, stress, and anxiety symptoms severity were assessed pre- and post-treatment using self-reports and clinical interviews. We conducted a series of hierarchical regression models in which symptoms change scores were predicted by ED while adjusting for the mean and variability. We found that negative ED was associated with greater self-reported treatment response (except for anxiety) when negative emotional variability (EV) was included in the models. Probing negative ED and EV’s interactive effects suggested that negative ED was associated with greater treatment response (except for anxiety) for individuals with lower EV levels. Results were obtained while controlling for mean negative affect. Our findings suggest that negative ED can benefit psychotherapy patients whose negative emotions are relatively less variable. We discuss the meaning of suppression and interactive effects between affect dynamics and consider possible clinical implications.

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The Role of Distress Disclosure Tendencies in the Experience and Expression of Laboratory-Induced Sadness

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000222 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 55-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeffrey H. Kahn ◽

Daniel W. Cox ◽

A. Myfanwy Bakker ◽

Julia I. O’Loughlin ◽

Agnieszka M. Kotlarczyk

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Emotional Reactivity ◽

Subjective Experience ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Laboratory Research ◽

Emotion Words ◽

Distress Disclosure ◽

Computerized Text Analysis

Abstract. The benefits of talking with others about unpleasant emotions have been thoroughly investigated, but individual differences in distress disclosure tendencies have not been adequately integrated within theoretical models of emotion. The purpose of this laboratory research was to determine whether distress disclosure tendencies stem from differences in emotional reactivity or differences in emotion regulation. After completing measures of distress disclosure tendencies, social desirability, and positive and negative affect, 84 participants (74% women) were video recorded while viewing a sadness-inducing film clip. Participants completed post-film measures of affect and were then interviewed about their reactions to the film; these interviews were audio recorded for later coding and computerized text analysis. Distress disclosure tendencies were not predictive of the subjective experience of emotion, but they were positively related to facial expressions of sadness and happiness. Distress disclosure tendencies also predicted judges’ ratings of the verbal disclosure of emotion during the interview, but self-reported disclosure and use of positive and negative emotion words were not associated with distress disclosure tendencies. The authors present implications of this research for integrating individual differences in distress disclosure with models of emotion.

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Negative Emotion Words May Affect Attentional Disengagement in RSVP Streams

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e585262007-001 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

Amy L. Ramos ◽

Aaron S. Weiner ◽

Veronica J. Dark

Keyword(s):

Negative Emotion ◽

Attentional Disengagement ◽

Emotion Words

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Hubungan Alexithymia dengan Kecanduan Media Sosial pada Remaja di Jakarta Selatan

SCRIPTA SCORE Scientific Medical Journal ◽

10.32734/scripta.v1i2.1229 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 9

Author(s):

Yunita Mansyah Lestari ◽

Suzy Yusna Dewi ◽

Aulia Chairani

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Interpersonal Relationships ◽

P Value ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Research Subjects ◽

Chi Square ◽

Toronto Alexithymia Scale ◽

Social Media Addiction ◽

Consecutive Sampling ◽

Tas 20

ABSTRAK Alexithymia ditandai dengan ketidakmampuan dalam mengenali dan mengekpresikan emosi serta pemikiran yang berorientasi eksternal sehingga mereka memiliki hubungan interpersonal yang buruk. Remaja dengan alexithymia cenderung menjadi kecanduan media sosial.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan antara Alexithymia terhadap kecanduan media sosial pada remaja di Jakarta Selatan. Subjek penelitian adalah remaja yang berusia 13-19 tahun dan tinggal di Jakarta selatan. Pengambilan data menggunakan metode consecutive sampling dan snowball sampling dengan menyebar kuesioner menggunakan link googleform. Jumlah subjek penelitian sebanyak 207 orang (41 = laki-laki, 166 = perempuan). Skala yang digunakan adalah Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) dan Social Media Disorder (SMD). Analisa data menggunakan metode chi-square pada SPSS 25. Hasil penelitian didapatkan 85 orang mengalami alexithymia, 88 mengalami kecanduan dan 62 orang mengalami alexithymia dan kecanduan media sosial. p-value didapatkan 0,000. Hal ini berarti terdapat hubungan antara Alexithymia dengan Kecanduan Media Sosial pada remaja di Jakarta Selatan. Kata Kunci :Alexithymia, Kecanduan Media Sosial, Remaja ABSTRACT Alexithymia is characterized by an inability to recognize and express emotions and have external oriented thoughts so that they have poor interpersonal relationships. Teenagers with alexithymial tend to become addicted to social media. This study aims to determine the relationship between Alexithymia towards social media addiction in adolescents in South Jakarta. The research subjects were adolescents aged 13-19 years and lived in south Jakarta. Retrieval of the data was using consecutive sampling and snowball sampling method by distributing questionnaires using the googleform link. The number of research subjects was 207 people (41 = men, 166 = women). The scale was used is the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Social Media Disorder (SMD). Data analysis using the chi-square method in SPSS 25. The results showed that 85 people had alexithymia, 88 were addicted and 62 people had alexithymia and were addicted to social media. p-value obtained is 0,000. This means that there is a relationship between Alexithymia and Social Media Addiction in adolescents in South Jakarta. Keyword : Adolescents, Alexithymia, Social Media Addiction

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The language of conspiracy: A psychological analysis of speech used by conspiracy theorists and their followers on Twitter

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations ◽

10.1177/1368430220987596 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 606-623

Author(s):

Amos Fong ◽

Jon Roozenbeek ◽

Danielle Goldwert ◽

Steven Rathje ◽

Sander van der Linden

Keyword(s):

Random Sample ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Language Use ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Psychological Characteristics ◽

Scientific Content ◽

Psychological Analysis

This paper analyzes key psychological themes in language used by prominent conspiracy theorists and science advocates on Twitter, as well as those of a random sample of their follower base. We conducted a variety of psycholinguistic analyses over a corpus of 16,290 influencer tweets and 160,949 follower tweets in order to evaluate stable intergroup differences in language use among those who subscribe or are exposed to conspiratorial content and those who are focused on scientific content. Our results indicate significant differences in the use of negative emotion (e.g., anger) between the two groups, as well as a focus, especially among conspiracy theorists, on topics such as death, religion, and power. Surprisingly, we found less pronounced differences in cognitive processes (e.g., certainty) and outgroup language. Our results add to a growing literature on the psychological characteristics underlying a “conspiracist worldview.”

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The Effect of Frames on Personal Narratives of Bullying Memories

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/00332941211006343 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003329412110063

Author(s):

Abigail M. Stark ◽

Olivia H. Tousignant ◽

Gary D. Fireman

Keyword(s):

Peer Relationships ◽

Social Order ◽

Positive Emotion ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Personal Narratives ◽

Psychosocial Effects ◽

Emotion Words ◽

Bullying Experiences ◽

Definition Of ◽

Past Experiences

Research demonstrates the malleability of memory; a dynamic process that occurs across development and can be influenced by internal and external frames. Narratives of past experiences represent one modality of understanding how memories are influenced by these frames. The present experimental study examines how memories of bullying are affected by two distinct yet common cultural frames. College students ( n = 92) were randomly assigned to one of two groups; one with a definition of bullying framing the experience in terms of resilience and one framing it in terms of negative psychosocial effects. Participants then wrote about a remembered experience with bullying. The researchers coded the narratives for coping strategies used in response to bullying as well as for positive or negative emotion words and story endings. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences between groups in the ways bullying experiences were remembered and described. Participants in the Resiliency Group more often had positive endings to their bullying narratives and used more coping skills and positive emotion words overall. The implications of a subtle frame influencing memories of bullying and its relation to development, identity, social order, peer relationships, and resilience are discussed.

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Emotion Word Use by Adolescents Who Stutter: An Exploratory Study

Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders ◽

10.1044/ffd23.1.6 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 6-14

Author(s):

Corrin G. Richels ◽

Rogge Jessica

Keyword(s):

Positive Emotion ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Conversational Speech ◽

Word Count ◽

Word Use ◽

Emotion Words ◽

Emotion Word ◽

Linguistic Inquiry ◽

Positive Valence ◽

Analyze Data

Purpose: Deficits in the ability to use emotion vocabulary may result in difficulties for adolescents who stutter (AWS) and may contribute to disfluencies and stuttering. In this project, we aimed to describe the emotion words used during conversational speech by AWS. Methods: Participants were 26 AWS between the ages of 12 years, 5 months and 15 years, 11 months-old (n=4 females, n=22 males). We drew personal narrative samples from the UCLASS database. We used Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software to analyze data samples for numbers of emotion words. Results: Results indicated that the AWS produced significantly higher numbers of emotion words with a positive valence. AWS tended to use the same few positive emotion words to the near exclusion of words with negative emotion valence. Conclusion: A lack of diversity in emotion vocabulary may make it difficult for AWS to engage in meaningful discourse about negative aspects of being a person who stutters

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The role of emotions on consumers' satisfaction within the fitness context

Motriz Revista de Educação Física ◽

10.1590/s1980-65742015000200002 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 116-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Vera Pedragosa ◽

Rui Biscaia ◽

Abel Correia

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Initial Step ◽

Equation Model ◽

Future Research ◽

Staff Members ◽

Managerial Implications ◽

Free Thought ◽

Post Purchase

Previous studies have suggested that consumption-related emotions are important to understand post-purchase reactions. This study examines the relationship between fitness consumers' emotions and overall satisfaction. After an initial step of free-thought listing and content validity, followed by a pre-test, a survey was conducted among consumers of five different fitness centers (n=786). The questionnaire included measures to assess positive and negative emotions, as well as overall satisfaction with the fitness center. The results gathered through a structural equation model provide evidence that negative emotion experienced by consumers impacts negatively overall satisfaction, while positive emotion have a positive effect on overall satisfaction. These findings suggest managerial implications, such as the need to collect consumers' perceptions of both tangible and intangible aspects of the services, listen costumers' opinions in a regular basis, and provide regular training to staff members, in order to identify the triggers of positive emotions and contribute to increased levels of overall satisfaction. Guidelines for future research within the fitness context are also suggested.

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