The development and validation of an interview-based observer rating scale for alexithymia (SIFA)
Year: 1997
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Alexithymia, literally lack of words for feelings, is a personality construct characterized by an inability to understand and communicate emotional experience.The present study undertook to develop an interview-based observer rating scale to assess the construct of alexithymia.The Structured Interview for Alexithymia (SIFA), a 13-item scale, was developed using a standard methodology.One hundred and thirty nine right-handed male university students completed the SlFA and a battery of self-report measures of alexithymia, personality, depression, and emotional intelligence.After a one-month interval, thirty participants were interviewed a second time.lnterrater and test-retest reliabilities of most SlFA items were acceptable or excellent.Solid evidence for concurrent and convergent/discriminant validity was found.The preliminary results of the dimensionality of the SIFA suggest that it comprises two related, but clearly distinct, dimensions.Overall, the results suggest that the SlFA is an easy to administer, reliable, and valid instrument which can be used for research purposes.quality help, for putting so much trust in me, and for encouraging and supporting me in difficult times.Thank you to Ray Koopman for his invaluable statistical advice.
Author: Darek Dawda
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2303307555