Two facets of non-expression of emotions: Relationship between dimensions of alexithymia and the repressive coping style

In the present study, the relationship between facets of alexithymia and repressive coping was investigated. In a sample of 300 inpatients from a hospital specialised in the treatment of psychosomatic disorders measures of alexithymia (TAS-20 and BVAQ) and of trait anxiety and defensiveness for the assessment of repressive coping were completed. Alexithymia scores for the TAS-20 and scales of the BVAQ Cognitive factor were significantly lower in extreme groups of repressive compared to high anxious patients. The opposite pattern was found for the BVAQ Fantasizing scale, and no difference occurred for the Emotionalizing scale. This suggests that self-rated alexithymia and repressive coping are generally inversely related, with high alexithymia patients being most similar to high anxious participants or sensitizers. In contrast, the facets not covered by the TAS-20, i.e. the BVAQ Affective factor and the Fantasizing scale, are inversely related to high anxious individuals or sensitizers. Implications for different types of alexithymia are discussed.