Alexithymia in parents of daughters with eating disorders: its relationships with psychopathological and personality variables.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research was to investigate alexithymia among parents of a daughter with eating disorders (EDs) and to relate alexithymia to personality and psychopathology characteristics.

METHODS: Parents of 73 women with ED (20 with anorexia nervosa, restrictive subtype (ANR), 23 with anorexia nervosa, bulimic subtype (ANB) and 30 with bulimia nervosa (BN)) and parents of 72 normal women were evaluated with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale.

RESULTS: The parents of daughters with ED show higher scores in the TAS-20 and its factors than the controls. TAS-20 scores of parents are associated with neuroticism, anxiety and depression.

CONCLUSIONS: Alexithymia in parents of daughters with an ED could be a trait of personality, but it could also be a state due to distress. Alexithymia should be taken into account in order to help these parents express emotions.