Alexithymia Test

Depression

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Basic information

Statements:21
Duration:3–6 minutes
Type:Self-assessment Quiz
Publishing year:2020
Seminal paper:Deez Alexithymia Scale (DAS-21)

Question 1 of 21

Sometimes I feel off, but I can't pinpoint why.

Disagree
Agree

Question 2 of 21

I often have trouble telling if I'm sad, mad, or just tired.

Disagree
Agree

Question 3 of 21

When things go wrong, I'm not sure how it makes me feel.

Disagree
Agree

Question 4 of 21

Even when I'm happy, I struggle to express it in words.

Disagree
Agree

Question 5 of 21

When I'm upset, I don't know how to tell someone what's going on.

Disagree
Agree

Question 6 of 21

I often feel lost for words when trying to describe how I feel.

Disagree
Agree

Question 7 of 21

I'm more interested in solving problems than discussing emotions.

Disagree
Agree

Question 8 of 21

I prefer conversations about facts and details rather than emotions and feelings.

Disagree
Agree

Question 9 of 21

I find it easier to talk about what I've seen or done rather than how I've felt.

Disagree
Agree

Question 10 of 21

When I try to imagine a future scenario, my mind goes blank.

Disagree
Agree

Question 11 of 21

When someone describes a scene, I have trouble visualizing it in my mind.

Disagree
Agree

Question 12 of 21

When I try to imagine a happy memory, the details are fuzzy.

Disagree
Agree

Question 13 of 21

When others are excited, I don't feel the same level of excitement.

Disagree
Agree

Question 14 of 21

Even in sad situations, I don't feel very upset.

Disagree
Agree

Question 15 of 21

I have difficulty feeling genuine affection for others.

Disagree
Agree

Question 16 of 21

I'm not very good at noticing when I'm feeling happy or sad.

Disagree
Agree

Question 17 of 21

I often don't realize when my mood changes.

Disagree
Agree

Question 18 of 21

I find it hard to identify the signs that I'm getting upset.

Disagree
Agree

Question 19 of 21

I have trouble finding the right words when I'm angry.

Disagree
Agree

Question 20 of 21

I tend to use generic terms like "good" or "bad" to describe how I feel.

Disagree
Agree

Question 21 of 21

I find it challenging to describe subtle emotional experiences.

Disagree
Agree

Alexithymia test is the computerized version of Deenz Alexithymia Scale (DAS-21©) which is based on a preliminary version of the research, development, and validation of DAS-21. The self-assessment tool is designed to measure the likelihood of manifesting tendencies towards Alexithymia. This self-assessment is not designed for making a clinical diagnosis of Alexithymia. Your participation in this quiz is completely anonymous and we do not collect or store your results or personal information for research purposes.

Alexithymia facets or dimensions

Difficulty Identifying Feelings (DIF): DIF means having difficulty figuring out what you are feeling in different situations. For example, people with alexithymia may experience a mix of emotions, sadness, or happiness but struggle to identify each one separately. It is like putting a name to what you are feeling, another example might be, when something happens, a person may feel strange but may not be sure exactly what emotion it is. [1] Emotion regulation difficulties in alexithymia and mental health. Europe’s Journal of Psychology
Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF): DDF means finding it hard to explain emotions to others. It is like feeling something inside but when someone asks how you feel, you will struggle to find the right words to describe it. This inner struggle in describing your feelings may sometimes lead to frustration and a sense of isolation. [2] Alexithymia and individual differences in emotional expression. Journal of Research in Personality
Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT): EOT means focusing more on external events or facts rather than feelings or emotions. People with alexithymia tend to prioritize concrete details over internal feelings and experiences. For example, when a person with alexithymia faces a problem he/she may focus on practical solutions rather than exploring emotional responses to the situation. It is like when you face a tough time, you start focusing on what is happening around you instead of thinking about how you feel. [3] The cultural shaping of alexithymia: Values and externally oriented thinking in a Chinese clinical sample. Comprehensive Psychiatry
Limited Imaginative Processes (LIP):LIP means finding it hard to imagine things in your mind. People with alexithymia may face difficulty in imaginative thinking, like daydreaming or picturing different scenarios.
Restricted Emotional Experience (REE):REE means not feeling emotions as strong as other people or not feeling a wide range of emotions in different situations. It is like everyone is cheering around because your team won, but you are not just feeling the same excitement as everyone is feeling.
Poor Emotional Awareness (PEA):PEA means not being aware of your own emotions. A person with alexithymia may not notice when his/her mood changes or he/she may not realize it when feeling stressed, uneasy, or anxious until it becomes overwhelming. Another good example may be that you are feeling really stressed out but you don’t even realize it until you start to tear up.
Impoverished Emotional Vocabulary (IEV):IEV means having a limited set of words or terms to describe feelings. It is like when we feel frustrated and find it hard to express it through words and we start up using the same terms or words over and over again. People with alexithymia may struggle to find the right words to express feelings verbally and end up relying on a narrow set of words to communicate emotions [4] Language processing in alexithymia.” Alexithymia: Advances in research, theory, and clinical practice (2018). For example, they may use generic terms like “good” or “bad” to describe a wide range of emotions.

Alexithymia is the inability to express, describe, and identify emotions. In other words, it is also called emotional blindness. Alexithymia is not considered a formal psychiatric disorder, it is recognized as a symptom of many mental and neurological disorders. Alexithymia may have symptoms of autism spectrum, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and various personality disorders. [5] Fietz, J., Valencia, N., & Silani, G. (2018). Alexithymia and autistic traits as possible predictors for traits related to depression, anxiety, and stress: A multivariate statistical approach. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice… From a modern psychological perspective, it is considered a factor that influences how people regulate and express emotions. The difficulty in regulating emotions and, the inability to express them makes it an interesting topic for researchers to understand and explore the traits on a spectrum. A person with alexithymia may face difficulty maintaining interpersonal relationships and it may impact psychological well-being. [6] Spitzer, Carsten, et al. “Alexithymia and interpersonal problems.”….

Deenz Alexithymia Scale is a valid and reliable measure of tendencies towards alexithymia. The scale is designed to measure inclination towards 7 key dimensions associated with alexithymia, in nonclinical populations. The validation of the scale is based on a small sample of college students and demonstrated a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. This suggests that the scale can accurately identify individuals who may show an inclination towards alexithymia. Alexithymia test which is provided as a digital tool for automatic scoring access to each dimension of facets of alexithymia. This tool is not a diagnosis of alexithymia and is intended solely for educational purposes. For more information please consult our terms of service.

References

  1. Pandey, R., Saxena, P., & Dubey, A. (2011). Emotion regulation difficulties in alexithymia and mental health. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 7(4), 604-623. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v7i4.155 ↩

  2. Wagner, H., & Lee, V. (2008). Alexithymia and individual differences in emotional expression. Journal of Research in Personality, 42(1), 83-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2007.04.001 ↩

  3. Dere, J., Tang, Q., Zhu, X., Cai, L., Yao, S., & Ryder, A. G. (2013). The cultural shaping of alexithymia: Values and externally oriented thinking in a Chinese clinical sample. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 54(4), 362-368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2012.10.013 ↩

  4. Welding, Carlotta, and Dalya Samur. “Language processing in alexithymia.” Alexithymia: Advances in research, theory, and clinical practice (2018): 90-104. Google scholar ↩

  5. Fietz, J., Valencia, N., & Silani, G. (2018). Alexithymia and autistic traits as possible predictors for traits related to depression, anxiety, and stress: A multivariate statistical approach. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 24(4), 901-908. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.12961 ↩

  6. Spitzer, Carsten, Ute Siebel-Jürges, Sven Barnow, Hans Joergen Grabe, and Harald J. Freyberger. “Alexithymia and interpersonal problems.” Psychotherapy and psychosomatics 74, no. 4 (2005): 240-246. Google scholar ↩

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