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An article that discusses current thinking about the pensée opératoire component of the alexithymia construct. Some conceptual, empirical, and clinical aspects are considered.
https://doi.org/10.1521/pdps.2023.51.3.287
Revisiting the Concept of Pensée Opératoire: Some Conceptual, Empirical, and Clinical Considerations. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 51(3): 287-310, 2023.
Abstract:
The concept of pensée opératoire (operational thinking) was introduced by French psychoanalysts in 1963 and a decade later was included as an essential component of the alexithymia construct as formulated by the U.S. analysts John Nemiah and Peter Sifneos. Despite a large body of research on alexithymia, the pensée opératoire component is not well understood, especially among clinicians and researchers who are not familiar with French psychoanalytic literature. In this article we clarify the definition and metapsychological conceptualization of the concept, review findings from some relevant empirical studies, and critique a recent proposal for redefining the alexithymia construct that departs from the original understanding of pensée opératoire. We also discuss some clinical implications of the concept and some strategies that psychotherapists can employ in the treatment of patients with this mode of thinking.
A report of a study that evaluated the incremental validity of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) by examining its predictive capacity relative to the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).
Examining the incremental validity of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) relative to the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Journal of Personality Assessment, epublication
https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2023.2201831
Abstract:
The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) is the most widely used instrument for assessing alexithymia, with more than 25 years of research supporting its reliability and validity. The items that compose this scale were written to operationalize the components of the construct that are based on clinical observations of patients and thought to reflect deficits in the cognitive processing of emotions. The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) is a recently introduced measure and is based on a theoretical attention-appraisal model of alexithymia. An important step with any newly developed measure is to evaluate whether it demonstrates incremental validity over existing measures. In this study using a community sample (N = 759), a series of hierarchical regressions were conducted that included an array of measures assessing constructs closely associated with alexithymia. Overall, the TAS-20 showed strong associations with these various constructs to which the PAQ was unable to add any meaningful increase in prediction relative to the TAS-20. We conclude that unless future studies with clinical samples demonstrate incremental validity of the PAQ, the TAS-20 should remain the self-report measure of choice for clinicians and researchers assessing alexithymia, albeit as part of a multi-method approach.