Search Results (31)

Introduction: Alexithymia is a multidimensional construct characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing emotions, distinguishing emotional states from bodily sensations, and an externally oriented thinking style. Although the prevalence in the general population is around 10%, it is significantly higher in clinical groups, including those with autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, and neurological conditions. Neuroimaging research, especially using magnetic resonance imaging, has documented structural and functional alterations in alexithymia; however, electroencephalography (EEG)—an older yet temporally precise method—remains less comprehensively explored. This mechanistic review aims to synthesize EEG-based evidence of the neural correlates of alexithymia and to propose potential neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning its affective and cognitive dimensions. Methods: A thorough literature search was conducted in December 2024 across PubMed/Medline, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, and Cochrane using combined keywords (“EEG”, “QEEG”, “electroencephalography”, “alexithymia”) to identify English-language clinical trials or case studies published from January 1980 to December 2024. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text review. Studies were included if they specifically examined EEG activity in participants with alexithymia. Of the 1021 initial records, eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Results: Across the reviewed studies, individuals with alexithymia consistently demonstrated right-hemisphere dominance in EEG power and connectivity, particularly in the theta and alpha bands, during both neutral and emotion-eliciting tasks. Many exhibited reduced interhemispheric coherence and disrupted connectivity in the frontal and parietal regions, potentially contributing to difficulties in cognitive processing and emotion labeling. Some studies have also reported diminished gamma band activity and phase synchrony in response to negative stimuli, suggesting impaired higher-order integration of emotional information. Crucially, subjective reports (e.g., valence ratings) often do not differ between alexithymic and non-alexithymic groups, highlighting that EEG measures may capture subtle emotional processing deficits not reflected in self-reports. Conclusions: EEG findings emphasize that alexithymia involves specific disruptions in cortical activation and network-level coordination, rather than merely the absence of emotional experiences. Right-hemisphere over-reliance, reduced interhemispheric transfer, and atypical oscillatory patterns in the alpha, theta, and gamma bands appear to be central to the condition’s pathophysiology. Understanding these neural signatures offers avenues for future research—particularly intervention studies that test whether modulating these EEG patterns can improve emotional awareness and expression. These insights underscore the potential clinical utility of EEG as a sensitive tool for detecting and tracking alexithymic traits in both research and therapeutic contexts. Full article

This study explores the enactment of critical thinking policies in Chinese senior high schools through the lens of Ball et al.’s policy enactment theory and within the broader context of Chinese education reform aimed at enhancing students’ thinking abilities. Employing a case study methodology with diverse data types, the research assessed current school-level practices and the effectiveness of Ball et al.’s framework in capturing interactions among objective contexts, policy actors, and cultural artefacts. Findings indicate that the framework captures these complexities when the policy is actively enacted. In one school, a systematic enactment mechanism facilitated diverse policy roles and external connections, thereby promoting schoolwide critical thinking development; however, another school exhibited fragmented practices due to the lack of key policy roles, despite students’ interest in deeper engagement. Challenges were also identified, including deficiencies in the mid-level education bureau and conflicts between a collective-oriented educational paradigm and the promotion of independent thinking. The study unravelled the nuances of the enactment of critical thinking policies in Chinese senior high schools. Future research could test the framework’s applicability for guiding the construction of policy mechanisms across different settings. Full article

Background: Alexithymia, a predictor in chronic illnesses, like cardiovascular and bipolar disorder (CD–BD), could be improved with a virtual reality (VR) cognitive remediation program. This secondary analysis of a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluates alexithymia improvement and its factors in an experimental group versus a control group, exploring extensions to individuals with comorbid non-psychiatric chronic conditions. Methods: A feasibility cross-over RCT (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05070065) enrolled individuals aged 18–75 with mood disorders (BD, DSM-IV), excluding those with relapses, epilepsy, or severe eye conditions due to potential risks with VR. Alexithymia levels were measured using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale with 20 items (TAS-20). Results: The study included 39 individuals in the experimental group and 25 in the control group, with no significant age or sex differences observed. Significantly improved alexithymia scores were noted in the experimental group compared to controls (F = 111.9; p < 0.0001) and in subgroups with chronic non-psychiatric comorbidities (F = 4.293, p = 0.048). Scores were particularly improved for difficulty in identifying feelings (F = 92.42; p < 0.00001), communicating feelings (F = 61.34; p < 0.00001), and externally oriented thinking (F = 173.12; p < 0.00001). Conclusions: The findings highlight alexithymia enhancement in BD, even with comorbid non-psychiatric chronic diseases. Given its impact on BD progression and related conditions, like CD, developing and evaluating VR-based tools in this context is suggested by these findings. Full article

Increasing efforts have been devoted to promoting sustainable demolition waste management (DWM) from a life cycle thinking perspective. To this end, facilitating sustainability-oriented decision-making for DWM planning requires a sustainability assessment framework for assessing the trade-offs among multifaceted criteria. This study develops a BIM-based DWM sustainability assessment approach to facilitate the life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) and decision-making by integrating LCSA-related properties and hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Aiding (MCDA) methods into a BIM environment using Dynamo visual scripting. A dynamic linkage is developed in the streamlined BIM-based LCSA process, where the enriched Industry Foundation Class (IFC) models are coupled with custom LCSA data templates to achieve seamless data exchange between the BIM platform and external LCA tools. Subsequently, hybrid MCDA methods convert the assessment results into DWM scenario ranking. A pilot study verifies the applicability of the BIM-based framework. The results unveil that the sustainability score ascended with the recycling rate. The optimal DWM alternative with the highest recycling rate yields the highest sustainability score at 91.63. Conversely, a DWM alternative reflecting the ‘status quo’ in China’s recycling industry has the lowest score at 8.37, significantly lower than the baseline scenario with a 50% recycling rate. It is worth noting that the ‘growth curve’ of the sustainability score continuously flattens as the target recycling rate escalates. The increment in recycling rate from the “Australian standard” scenario to the optimal scenario is 18.4%, whereas the sustainability score merely increases by 2.3%, implying that the former scenario arrived at an optimum point for maximising the cost-efficiency of DWM under the predefined settings. Full article

Alexithymia, a multifaceted personality construct, is known to be related to difficulties in the decoding of emotional facial expressions, especially in case of suboptimal stimuli. The present study investigated whether and which facets of alexithymia are related to impairments in the recognition of emotions in faces with face masks. Accuracy and speed of emotion recognition were examined in a block of faces with and a block of faces without face masks in a sample of 102 healthy individuals. The order of blocks varied between participants. Emotions were recognized better and faster in unmasked than in masked faces. Recognition performance was worst and slowest for participants starting the task with masked faces. In the whole sample, there were no correlations of alexithymia facets with accuracy and speed of emotion recognition for masked and unmasked faces. In participants starting the task with masked faces, the facet externally oriented thinking was positively correlated with reaction latencies of correct responses for masked faces. Our findings indicate that an externally oriented thinking style could be linked to a less efficient identification of emotions from faces wearing masks when task difficulty is high and support the utility of a facet approach in alexithymia research. Full article

Alexithymia is a clinically relevant personality construct characterized by difficulties identifying and communicating one’s emotions and externally oriented thinking. Alexithymia has been found to be related to poor emotion decoding and diminished attention to the eyes. The present eye tracking study investigated whether high levels of alexithymia are related to impairments in recognizing emotions in masked faces and reduced attentional preference for the eyes. An emotion recognition task with happy, fearful, disgusted, and neutral faces with face masks was administered to high-alexithymic and non-alexithymic individuals. Hit rates, latencies of correct responses, and fixation duration on eyes and face mask were analyzed as a function of group and sex. Alexithymia had no effects on accuracy and speed of emotion recognition. However, alexithymic men showed less attentional preference for the eyes relative to the mask than non-alexithymic men, which was due to their increased attention to face masks. No fixation duration differences were observed between alexithymic and non-alexithymic women. Our data indicate that high levels of alexithymia might not have adverse effects on the efficiency of emotion recognition from faces wearing masks. Future research on gaze behavior during facial emotion recognition in high alexithymia should consider sex as a moderating variable. Full article

Research indicates that music can influence human cognitive functions. Diverse musical settings can affect alertness, orientation, and executive control of attention in various populations. Exploring the relationship between designers with highly creative thinking and music environments can provide new research perspectives for the cognitive field. A total of 94 students, consisting of 61 design majors and 33 non-design majors, completed the Attention Network Test (ANT) on a computer under three test environments: cheerful music, melancholic music, and silence. The study results indicated that the alerting network effect between the design professional group and the control group was marginally significant. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the orienting subsystem and the executive control subsystem. Within the design professional group, the attentional network data indicated that participants showed improved performance in alerting and orienting attention in a music-free environment compared to cheerful and melancholic music environments (pa = 0.028, po = 0.008). Nevertheless, executive control attention did not show significant differences across the music environments. In conclusion, existing research confirms that designers are more susceptible to distraction from external stimuli; thus, music-free environments assist them in concentrating. Full article

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to verify the hypothesis concerning the relationship between alexithymia and selected indicators used to describe emotional events, specifically romantic relationships. Alexithymia, due to significant distortions in cognitive processing of emotional content, is demonstrated by poor recognition of emotions in oneself and others and, as a result, by deficits in empathy, avoidance of social relationships, and deficits in the ability to mentalize. Differences in narrations were tested by alexithymia levels (high vs. low) and the relation between specific narration features and individual alexithymia factors, i.e., difficulties in identifying emotions, difficulties in verbalising emotions, and externally oriented thinking. Method: A total of 356 people who had been in a romantic relationship for at least six months participated in the study. The TAS-20 was applied to measure alexithymia, and the FIS questionnaire was used to investigate anxiety in close relationships. Participants were asked to freely describe the romantic relationship they were in at that moment. The Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWCLIWC2015 v1.6—unlimited duration academic licence) software was used for content analysis. The study was conducted online. Results: On the basis of the analyses conducted, high levels of alexithymia were found to be significantly associated with a lower total number of words used in narrative, a lower number relating to positive emotions, a lower number relating to causation and insight, and a higher number relating to negative emotions. Various results were obtained for individual dimensions of alexithymia in relation to the LIWC categories and the mediating role of fear of intimacy. For the difficulty identifying feelings (DIF), a significant mediating effect was observed only for words associated with negative emotions, whereas for the difficulty describing feelings (DDF), significant mediating effects were found for words relating to negative emotions and causality. In the case of externally oriented thinking (EOT), significant mediating effects were obtained for all analysed categories from LIWC. Full article

In the present study, we aimed to assess the frequency of and the relationships between alexithymia, burnout, and hopelessness in a large sample of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the third wave of COVID-19 in Italy. Alexithymia was evaluated by the Italian version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and its subscales Difficulty in Identifying Feelings (DIF), Difficulty in Describing Feelings (DDF), and Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT), burnout was measured with the scales emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA) of the Maslach Burnout Test (MBI), hopelessness was measured using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and irritability (IRR), depression (DEP), and anxiety (ANX) were evaluated with the Italian version of the Irritability‚ Depression‚ Anxiety Scale (IDA). This cross-sectional study recruited a sample of 1445 HCWs from a large urban healthcare facility in Italy from 1 May to 31 June 2021. The comparison between individuals that were positive (n = 214, 14.8%) or not for alexithymia (n = 1231, 85.2%), controlling for age, gender, and working seniority, revealed that positive subjects showed higher scores on BHS, EE, DP IRR, DEP, ANX, DIF, DDF, and EOT and lower on PA than the not positive ones (p < 0.001). In the linear regression model, higher working seniority as well as higher EE, IRR, DEP, ANX, and DDF scores and lower PA were associated with higher hopelessness. In conclusion, increased hopelessness was associated with higher burnout and alexithymia. Comprehensive strategies should be implemented to support HCWs’ mental health and mitigate the negative consequences of alexithymia, burnout, and hopelessness. Full article

This article reports on the use of self-authorship as a pedagogical tool to develop pre-service teachers’ professional identities. Pre-professional identity is considered a dynamic, less mature version of professional identity. Such a notion of fluidity in the professional self necessitates the integration of both personal and professional life experiences in the process of becoming, rather than already being, a teacher. A random sample of 56 pre-service teachers from a population of first-year students at a South African university was selected for this qualitative interpretivist study. Thematic analysis of personal reflections after a professional orientation programme indicates that the pre-professional identity of first-year pre-service teachers is mostly based on external cues and naïve perceptions rather than on well-thought-through personal ideology. The authors draw on Baxter-Magolda’s theory of self-authorship to highlight this influence of past life experiences that shape the pre-professional identity that first-year pre-service teachers bring to initial teacher training programs. Self-authorship is defined as a person’s ability to conceptualise and apply their own beliefs, identity, and social relations in various contexts. Findings confirm that most first-year pre-service teachers place themselves within the first phase of self-authorship. It is postulated that higher education institutions could, through platforms such as Work Integrated Learning, shift the structure and focus of pre-service teacher training programmes away from passive observation and instruction to active partnership, engaged reflection, and critical thinking. Such an approach can then contribute to professional and personal development through the remainder of the pre-service teacher programme. It is further argued that a longitudinal study is needed to explore this required movement towards and through the three phases of self-authorship. Full article

Problematic gaming has been consistently associated with insecure attachment styles and alexithymia. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the impact of specific alexithymic features and insecure attachment styles on problematic gaming. The study included a sample of 358 online game players (242 males, 67.6%) between the ages of 18 and 59 (M = 28.46; SD = 8.76) who were recruited from online gaming communities. The participants completed a sociodemographic schedule and measures on attachment styles, alexithymia, and problematic gaming. The results provide evidence for a positive prediction of problematic gaming by dismissing attachment style and the alexithymic factors concerning the difficulty identifying feelings and externally oriented thinking, even when controlling for potentially confounding factors, such as age, sex, education, marital status, and self-reported time devoted to online games. Additionally, the analysis revealed a significant interaction effect between externally oriented thinking and dismissing attachment style in the prediction of problematic gaming. The interaction implies that the alexithymia factors pertaining to externally oriented thinking hold significant relevance in predicting problematic gaming behaviors, especially in cases where dismissive attachment levels are moderately to highly present. These findings emphasize the significance of considering specific insecure attachment styles and alexithymic features when studying problematic gaming behaviors. Full article

Infertility and related treatments can negatively affect a couple’s wellbeing. The aim of this study was to evaluate couples starting assisted reproductive treatment, differences in alexithymia and quality of life levels between partners, and the association of these psychological dimensions within the couple’s members. Data was collected in two fertility centres in Rome; 47 couples completed the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Data analysis showed a worsened quality of life in women compared with their partners, as well as higher externally oriented thinking in men compared with their spouses. Associations between alexithymia and quality of life levels between women and men emerged. According to the regression analysis, a better quality of life in women was predicted by a greater partner’s capabilities in identifying and describing emotion as well as by a better partner’s quality of life, whereas for men, a better quality of life was predicted by their spouse’s higher levels of quality of life. This study highlights the protective role that couples can play in the perception of the negative impact that infertility can have on their partner’s quality of life. Further investigations are needed for the development of specific therapeutic interventions for the promotion of the couples’ wellbeing. Full article

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are constantly under pressure to grow. This pressure forces everyone involved to think about how best to run their business. Although there is much research on SME growth, previous research is fragmented and only addresses internal or external enablers. This study aims to construct an interaction model for all enablers that promote sustainable SME growth. An interpretive structural modeling (ISM) analysis is conducted to formulate an interaction model of enablers for SME growth. The results show that both internal and external enablers are crucial for SME growth. This study shows that the following internal enablers that are interrelated and strongly influence SME growth are MS (managerial skills), EO (entrepreneurial orientation), and OwS (ownership structure). In addition, external enablers such as CIL (customer involvement and location) and GS (government support) also play an important role in improving the performance of other factors for SME growth. In addition, this study also provides a guide for formulating strategies for SME sustainability. Effective policy formulation must be based on a correct understanding of the interdependence between enablers as a unified model of interaction. The interaction between the enablers highlighted and the level of the model would be helpful to all shareholders in finding appropriate strategies for SME growth. Full article

The purpose of the coordinated development of urbanization is to achieve the coordination of the internal subsystems of urbanization and the spatial coordination within the region. The coordinated development level of urbanization and its spatial effect are affected by many factors. Based on the influence mechanism of coordinated development of urbanization, in this study, the evaluation index system of coordinated development of urbanization and the analysis of influencing factors are constructed respectively. The coupling coordination model, fixed effect model and spatial lag model are used to analyze the coordinated development level and influencing factors of urbanization in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the changes of influencing factors before and after the spatial effects are compared. The results are as follows: although the coordinated development level of urbanization in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region shows a trend of increasing year by year, the spatial differentiation phenomenon is becoming more and more obvious. In this process, the internal and external influencing factors of coordinated development of urbanization play a decisive role. In addition, after the spatial effect is included, the significance level of the influencing factors has changed, and the promotion effect on the coordinated development of urbanization is reduced. The performance is as follows: there is insufficient population transfer and employment among regions, low spatial spillover effect of economic development, strong dependence on land finance, expansion of habitat destruction and low degree of governance coordination, imbalance between public resource allocation and public service supply, lack of unified market-oriented environment and strong government intervention. The key points of future policies and reforms are as follows: under the guidance of the national strategic thinking, we should deepen the reform of the administrative system of the government, actively break through the institutional obstacles restricting the coordinated development of urbanization, continuously optimize the state of the urbanization system and form a joint force of coordinated development. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the psychophysical wellbeing of children worldwide. Alexithymia, a personality trait involving difficulties in identifying and expressing feelings represents a vulnerability factor for stress-related disorders. Under pandemic stress exposure, we aimed to investigate the role of parents’ and children’s alexithymia in the psychophysical symptomatology shown by children and to evaluate possible differences according to age, gender and history of COVID-19 infections. The perception of parents and children about the impact of the pandemic on children’s emotional, social and physiological wellbeing was also explored. Sixty-five familial triads were surveyed in the period from March to May 2022: children (n = 33 males; mean age = 9.53, sd = 1.55), mothers (mean age = 44.12; sd = 6.10) and fathers (mean age = 47.10; sd = 7.8). Both parental and children’s alexithymia scores were significantly associated with somatic and externalizing symptomatology in children. Self-reported anger and externally oriented thinking scores were higher in younger children (age 8–9.9 years) than in older ones (10–12 years). Girls scored higher than boys in somatic complaints, as reported by parents. No difference emerged between children affected/not affected by COVID-19. Notably, children reported a greater negative impact of the pandemic on their emotional and psychosocial well-being than their parents. The findings emphasize the role of alexithymia in the occurrence of psychophysical symptoms in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reduced parental awareness of the emotional burden imposed by the pandemic on children indicates the need to better consider how epidemics affect children’s mental health and to develop adequate preventive strategies to support them in these exceptional times. Full article