Table 1 Studies investigating alexithymia in clinical samples of patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder

Beales & Dolton

2000

EDI

Females, outpatient, 17–46 years old, AN-R (26), BN (29), recovered (24)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: BN (83%), AN-R (65%), recovered (33%)

Berthoz et al.

2007

MINI

Females, AN-R (50), AN-B/P (5), BN (20)

TAS-20

No group differences on TAS-20 scores

Bourke et al.

1992

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, AN-R (30), AN-B/P (18), HC (30)

TAS

Alexithymic: AN (77.1%), HC (6.7%); TAS Total: AN > HC

Bydlowski et al.

2005

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN-R (18), AN-B/P (15), BN (37), HC (70)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: EDs (60%), HC (30%); TAS-20 Total: EDs > HC, no differences between EDs, group differences disappeared when controlling for depression but not when controlling for anxiety

Carano et al.

2006

DSM-IV

Males and females, outpatient, obese + BED (101)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: 39.6%

Corcos et al.

2000

DSM-IV

Males and females, outpatient, AN-R (21), AN-B/P (11), BN (32), HC (74)

TAS-20

TAS Total: EDs > HC, AN > BN, group differences between AN and BN disappeared when controlling for depression

Cochrane et al.

1993

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, AN (19), BN (52), AN + BN (18), EDNOS (25), HC (370)

TAS

TAS Total Score: EDs > HC, no differences between EDs

de Groot

1995

DSM-III-R

Females, day hospital program, BN (31), HC (female nurses; 20)

TAS

Alexithymic: BN (61.3%), HC (5%), TAS Total, DIF, DDF: BN > HC, group differences for TAS Total and DIF remained when controlling for depression

De Panfilis et al.

2003

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN-R (4), AN-B/P (12), BN (20), BED (28), HC (68)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: EDs (14.4%), HC (1.6%); TAS-20 Total, DIF: EDs > HC

de Zwaan et al.

1995

DSM-IV

Males and females, outpatient, obese + BED (83), obese + no BED (99)

TAS

TAS Total: no group differences

Deborde et al.

2008

MINI

Females, AN-R (10), AN-B/P (7), BN (30), HC (253)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: EDs (53.2%), HC (13.83%)

Eizaguirre et al.

2004

DSM-IV

Females, AN-R (25), AN-BP (44), BN (82), HC (43)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: AN-R (56%), AN-B/P (68.2%), BN (47%), HC (2.3%), TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF, EOT: EDs > HC, DIF: AN-B/P > BN, AN-R, EOT: BN > AN-B/P, group differences disappeared when controlling for depression and anxiety

Gilboa-Schechtman et al.

2006

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN (20), BN (20), HC (20)

TAS-20

TAS-20 DIF, DDF: EDs > HC, DDF scores: AN > BN, group differences disappeared when controlling for distress

Guttman et al.

2002

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, AN-R (34), HC (33)

TAS-20

TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF: AN-R > HC

Jimerson et al.

1994

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, BN (20), HC (20)

TAS

Alexithymic: BN (40%), HC (0%); TAS Total, DIF, DDF: BN > HC, group differences disappeared for DDF when controlling for anxiety and depression

Lawson et al.

2008

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN (11), BN (21), EDNOS (38)

TAS-20

TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF: no group differences

Montebarocci et al.

2006

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN-R (18), BN (16), HC (18)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: AN-R (50%), BN (56%), HC (22%); TAS-20 Total: AN-R, BN > HC, DIF: BN, AN-R > HC, EOT: AN-R > BN, HC, group differences disappeared when controlling for anxiety and depression

Nandrino et al.

2006

DSM-IV

Females, inpatient, AN-R (25), HC (25)

TAS-20

TAS-20 Total: AN-R > HC

Parling et al.

2010

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN (35), HC (34)

TAS-20

TAS-20 DIF, DDF: AN > HC, group differences disappeared when controlling for anxiety and depression

Pascual et al.

2011

Self-report questionnaires

Females, BN-P (17), BN-NP (17), nonspecific AN (22), nonspecific BN (42)

TAS-20

DDF: nonspecific AN > nonspecific BN, BN-NP

Pinaquy et al.

2003

DSM-IV

Females, obese + BED (40), obese + no BED (129)

TAS-20

TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF: obese + BED > obese + no BED

Rastam et al.

1997

DSM-III-R

Males and females, AN-R (48), HC (51)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: AN-R (23%), HC (6%)

Schmidt et al.

1993

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, BN (93), AN-R (55), AN-B/P (25), HC (48 females and 47 males)

TAS

Alexithymic: AN-R (56%), AN-B/P (48%), BN (50%), HC (17.8%); TAS Total: All EDs > HC, AN-R > BN

Sexton et al.

1998

DSM-IV

Females, inpatients, AN-R (15), AN-B/P (16), BN (22), HC (14)

TAS

TAS Total: AN-R, AN-B/P > HC; DIF, DDF: AN-B/P, BN > HC; DDF: AN-R > BN; after controlling for depression: TAS Total: AN-R > HC; DDF: AN-R > BN, HC

Sureda et al.

1999

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, BN (35), HC hospital staff (35)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: BN (51.4%), HC (6.3%); TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF: BN > HC

Speranza et al.

2005

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN-R (105), AN-B/P (49), BN (89), HC (279)

TAS-20

TAS-20 DIF, DDF: all EDs > HC, when controlling for depression; DIF: BN > HC; DDF: AN-R > HC

Taylor et al.

1996

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, AN (48), HC hospital staff (30), HC undergraduates (234)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: AN (68.8%), HC hospital staff (3.3%), HC undergraduates (13.7%); TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF: AN > all HC groups

Torres et al.

2011

Females, outpatient, AN-R (52), AN-B/P (28), HC (80)

TAS-20

TAS-20 DIF, DDF, EOT: AN > HC

Troop et al.

1995

DSM-III-R

Females, outpatient, AN-R (29), AN-B/P (15), BN (83), HC (79)

TAS

TAS Total, DIF: EDs > HC; lack of fantasy: AN-R > BN, HC

Zeeck et al.

2011

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, BED (20), obese (23), HC (20)

TAS-20

TAS-20 Total: BED > obese, HC

Zonnevijlle-Bender et al.

2002

DSM-IV

Females, outpatient, AN (16), BN (8), EDNOS (6), HC (33)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: AN (60%), BN (50%), EDNOS (14%), HC (10%), TAS-20 Total: EDs > HC

Zonnevijlle-Bender et al.

2004

DSM-IV

Females, AN-R (48), psychiatric control (anxiety and depression; 21), HC (48)

TAS-20

Alexithymic: AN (60%), psychiatric control (52%), HC (27%); TAS-20 Total, DIF, DDF: AN > HC