Empirical study of alexithymia: methodology and results.

Starting with a review of selected examples of empirical studies on the concept of alexithymia, this paper then presents a new perspective that helps to integrate these diverse results. Studies are grouped into two types: those employing instruments (questionnaires, ratings) that directly assess alexithymia, and experimental studies. Studies of the first type are found to be inconclusive in that the search for a personality trait of alexithymia in psychosomatic patients has not been very fruitful. The evidence from experimental studies, however, does allow for some interesting interpretations: The apparent diversity in results can be resolved, if certain crucial dimensions are analyzed. On the stimulus side, interpersonal relevance and the degree of subjective involvement are found to be crucial, as results pointing towards alexithymia are mainly found when both of these are high. On the measurement side, large variations in results can be explained by reference to the "depth" of measurement level. On a more superficial or cognitive level, it is possible to find indications of alexithymia, whereas on a deeper, more unconscious level, psychosomatic patients' response to experimental stimuli are similar to that of controls. The implications of this are that alexithymia, rather than being understood as a personality trait, should be seen as a label for a set of coping behaviors that occurs in specific situations only.

Microcomputers as aids in Gottschalk-Gleser rating.

Different types of errors during the various steps of Gottschalk-Gleser content analysis of speech samples are discussed. Several attempts have been made in the past to avoid error by using computer programs to categorize verbal material. Although these systems offer the advantage of increasing reliability to a maximum, validity is a problem. More recent approaches, which use artificial intelligence methods of language understanding by computer, show promise. However, these computer systems will have to be further developed before they can perform at the same level as human raters. For this reason, an alternative approach is presented which only relies on computers in a limited way: All steps of Gottschalk-Gleser content analysis are performed with a collection of programs on a small 8-bit microcomputer: transcription, scoring, storage, and computation of scores. The different steps of using this system are described, and it is argued that a significant reduction of error, both random and systematic, can be achieved through this system.

Psychoendocrinology of remenorrhea in the late outcome of anorexia nervosa.

Within a late follow-up of our former anorectic patients 38 consented to an endocrine checkup in addition to clinical and sociopsychologic assessments. Univariate comparisons of still or again amenorrheic patients (n = 22) versus remenorrheic patients (n = 16) showed many significances. However, some of these variables intercorrelated substantially. Therefore, we performed a stepwise discriminant analysis which yielded as the most differentiating variables 'subjective well-being' (24%), follow-up interval (16%), Frisch's 'fat percentage within body weight' (12%) and 'sexual behavior' (5%). As the mean follow-up intervals were 10 versus 6 years, anorectic patients seem to need considerable time for remenorrhea, or rather for the psychosocial-sexual adaptation necessary for it. The equally necessary weight gain does not correlate with the follow-up interval. Then there is a factor which seems to be 'constitutional': Early onset of amenorrhea predicts late nonremenorrhea (3%).

[Differentiation of colitis and Crohn disease patients based on psychosocial variables]. / Zur Differenzierung von Colitis- und Morbus Crohn-Kranken anhand psychosozialer Variablen.

Two groups of twenty-two patients each, one group suffering from morbus Crohn and the other from colitis ulcerosa, both groups receiving treatment in a medical institution, were compared on the basis of social data, standardized psychological testing techniques, experimental psychologic examinations, and data concerning their disorders. Generally there were hardly any differences between the patients in either group. Merely the results obtained in the experimental procedure differed slightly in that a more pronounced cognitive suppression of affects occurred with the colitis group. Furthermore, a stronger affinity to taking advantage of an offer for psychotherapeutic treatment could be observed in this group.

Amenorrhea and predictors for remenorrhea in anorexia nervosa: a psychoendocrinological study in inpatients.

34 consecutively admitted anorexia nervosa inpatients were studied for variables relevant for 'early' vs. 'late' amenorrhea and for probable remenorrhea after therapy. The subsample reporting 'early' amenorrhea, i.e. preceding weight loss (n = 11), was characterized by less 'anorexia-specific' psychological traits and more weight loss before admission and a more marked (= pathological) FSH responsiveness to GnRH stimulation. Hence--contrary to our expectation--'early' amenorrhea seems to be a 'nonpsychogenic' phenomenon. Analysis according to FSH hyperresponsiveness yielded no additional information. Studying LH changes during therapy we found that a nonrise in basal LH secretion is associated with a type of anorexia characterized by early onset and a less severe but protracted course before admission, which then proves also more recalcitrant to therapy. The subsample which attained LH fluctuation before discharge showed a clear reduction of 'weight phobia' and a higher weight both on admission and before discharge.

[Affect processing in psychosomatic patients. II]. / Zur Affektverarbeitung bei psychosomatischen Patienten. Teil II.

This study is the continuation of an earlier investigation (Ahrens, 1984) concerned with the working-through of affects in patients suffering from psychosomatic disorders. In the present study a group of psychosomatic patients is compared to a group of patients with organic complaints. Using the same methods (showing of film episodes in accordance with an experimental design, evaluation of the working-through of affects both on the cognitive and on the subconcious level) it was attempted to obtain findings of greater universality. Therefore, in contrast to the first investigation, the film episodes were of normal every-day situations in order to avoid as far as possible any personal involvement of the test subjects. The results confirm an important finding from the previous investigation, namely that even in psychosomatic patients a high rate of reaction to affective stimuli on the subconcious level can be observed. In contrast to the earlier investigated situation of intensive personal involvement, however, the group of patients suffering from psychosomatic disorders and the control group did not differ on the cognitive level with regard to their perception of the affective content of the film episodes.

[Optimal preservation of function in vacuum-dried bacteria (author's transl)]. / Ein Verfahren zur optimalen Funktionserhaltung vacuumgetrockneter Bakterien

Experience has shown that there are natural processes assuring a good preservation of virulence of delicate bacteria over intervals between epidemic outbreaks. Similarly, fetal bovine serum enriched with 10% saccharose was found to be an ideal medium for rendering bacteria well preservable without losing essential functional characteristics by means of vacuum-drying. Cotton wool DAB 7 has proved to be a good support. The available findings would let also delicate aerobic and anaerobic bacteria appear to be suitable for this kind of preservation, retaining their full capacity to multiply for at least one year inclusive of sensitive functional parameters. Results have been grouped in a number of synoptic tables, Bacteria that would not admit of the method of preservation described, have not been found thus far.