Abstract
Alexithymia refers to difficulties identifying and describing feelings. It is suspected of being a risk factor for problematic drinking, an idea examined by this study. In 178 women and 84 men alexithymia was associated with male gender, coping motives for drinking and sensitivity to punishment. Individuals with alexithymia reported stronger coping motives and sensitivity to punishment compared to those with borderline or no alexithymia. Path analysis indicated that the relationship between the alexithymia dimension difficulties identifying feelings and coping motives was mediated by sensitivity to punishment, and the relationship between sensitivity to punishment and risky drinking was mediated by coping motives. These results suggest that alcohol may be used by individuals with alexithymia to help them cope with anxiety or other negative affect.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 348-357 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Addiction Research and Theory |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2012 |
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Alexithymia and alcohol : The roles of punishment sensitivity and drinking motives. / Lyvers, Michael; Hasking, Penelope; Albrecht, Bonnie; Thorberg, Fred Arne.
In: Addiction Research and Theory, Vol. 20, No. 4, 08.2012, p. 348-357.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Alexithymia and alcohol
T2 - The roles of punishment sensitivity and drinking motives
AU - Lyvers, Michael
AU - Hasking, Penelope
AU - Albrecht, Bonnie
AU - Thorberg, Fred Arne
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - Alexithymia refers to difficulties identifying and describing feelings. It is suspected of being a risk factor for problematic drinking, an idea examined by this study. In 178 women and 84 men alexithymia was associated with male gender, coping motives for drinking and sensitivity to punishment. Individuals with alexithymia reported stronger coping motives and sensitivity to punishment compared to those with borderline or no alexithymia. Path analysis indicated that the relationship between the alexithymia dimension difficulties identifying feelings and coping motives was mediated by sensitivity to punishment, and the relationship between sensitivity to punishment and risky drinking was mediated by coping motives. These results suggest that alcohol may be used by individuals with alexithymia to help them cope with anxiety or other negative affect.
AB - Alexithymia refers to difficulties identifying and describing feelings. It is suspected of being a risk factor for problematic drinking, an idea examined by this study. In 178 women and 84 men alexithymia was associated with male gender, coping motives for drinking and sensitivity to punishment. Individuals with alexithymia reported stronger coping motives and sensitivity to punishment compared to those with borderline or no alexithymia. Path analysis indicated that the relationship between the alexithymia dimension difficulties identifying feelings and coping motives was mediated by sensitivity to punishment, and the relationship between sensitivity to punishment and risky drinking was mediated by coping motives. These results suggest that alcohol may be used by individuals with alexithymia to help them cope with anxiety or other negative affect.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862977838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/16066359.2011.636494
DO - 10.3109/16066359.2011.636494
M3 - Article
VL - 20
SP - 348
EP - 357
JO - Addiction Research and Theory
JF - Addiction Research and Theory
SN - 1476-7392
IS - 4
ER -