Alexithymia, depression, and anxiety in male batterers

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALEXITHYMIA, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND THE PROPENSITY FOR ABUSIVENESS IN MALE BATTERERS

BY WILLIAM ALEXANDER DOBSON

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology
Alliant International University
California School of Professional Psychology
Fresno Campus

Copyright, 2005, by William Alexander Dobson

 

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• ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
  Relationship between Alexithymia, Depression, Anxiety, and the Propensity for Abusiveness in Male Batterers
  by
  William Alexander Dobson
  California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno Campus
  Wesley Forbes, EdD
  Dissertation Committee Chairman
  
  2005
  
  There are a large number of risk factors involved with domestic violence. The majority of research has indicated that assaultive men exhibit depression and anxiety. No studies, however, have addressed the concept of alexithymia. Alexithymia is defined as difficulty identifying feelings and distinguishing between feelings and the bodily sensations of emotional arousal; difficulty describing feelings to other people; constricted imaginal processes, as evidenced by a paucity of fantasies; and a stimulus-bound, externally oriented cognitive style.
  
  Fifty-seven men who were court ordered to attend a treatment program in the Central Valley of California and in south-central Idaho participated in the study. The participants completed a Demographic Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Propensity for Abusiveness Scale. The therapists of the treatment groups explained the nature of the study and administered the test materials.
  
  A chi-square test of independence showed that alexithymic men had significantly higher levels of depression than did non-alexithymic men (p < .05). The results are consistent with the literature, which suggests that a relationship exists between domestic violence and depression. Men who are alexithymic are more likely to have significant levels of depression, as compared to non-alexithymic males.
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If anyone has questions regarding my dissertation please ask away. I am going to submit my article to a professional journal in the near future. You get the abstract before anyone else.

Thanks,

 

[Meg]

I am really interested in your topic, Dr Dobson. I was wondering: did you look at the different criteria for depression and see if certain symptoms or combinations of symptoms were significantly more related to alexithymia and/or propensity for abusiveness more than others? Or, is it simply the core criteria of a depressed mood that leads to the difficulty in identifying feelings in alexithymia? I hope I've understood well enough for that to be a sensible question!

Meg

 

[Heather]

Yes very interesting, I am particularly interested as I know some people who have gone through Domestic Violence and some who have caused it.

Heather...

 

[comfortzone]

Meg,

Thanks for you questions. No I did not look at the different symptoms noted as criteria in relation to alexithmia or the propensity for abusiveness. However, that would make a wonderful research topic for future studies.

Secondly, the difficulty in identifying feelings with alexithymia seems to be a learned or biologically based problem. One way of looking at is an alexithymic male would have difficulty identifying the core symptoms of a depressed mood. Both of your questions were understandable as well as good examples of critical thinking. Good job!

Thanks Heather!

If there is any more questions, please do ask.

 

[Meg]

Thanks for the answer (and the compliment lol). I'm in a very research-oriented frame of mind at the moment, my honours thesis is due in a month! Good luck with the publication

Meg

 

[comfortzone]

Thanks Meg! I wish you the best with your honours thesis. I believe my dissertation will be bound within the next month. Crossing fingers and toes.