To test the hypothesis that higher scores on alexithymia are associated with reduced tolerance for cold pressor pain, 116 college undergraduates completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale–20 of Bagby, Parker and Taylor and engaged in the cold pressor test. Their alexithymia scores were not associated with tolerance for cold pressor pain, suggesting that individuals scoring high on alexithymia do not show a general hypersensitivity to a cold stimulus.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BagbyR. M.ParkerJ. D. A.TaylorG. J. (1994) The twenty-item Toronto Alexithymis Scale: item selection and cross-validation of the factor structure. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 38, 23–32.
2.
CoxB. J.KuckK.ParkerJ. D. A.ShulmanI. D.EvansR. (1994) Alexithymia in somatoform disorder patients with chronic pain. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 38, 523–527.
3.
NyklicekI.VingerhoetsJ. J. M. (2000) Alexithymia is associated with low tolerance to experimental painful stimulation. Pain, 85, 471–475.
4.
SifneosP.E. (1973) The prevalence of ‘alexithymic’ characteristics in psychosomatic patients. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 22, 255–262.
5.
TaylorG. J.ParkerJ. D. A.BagbyR. M.AcklinM. W. (1992) Alexithymia and somatic complaints in psychiatric out-patients. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 36, 417–424.
