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Journal of Intellectual Disabilities
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Exploring the concept of alexithymia in the lives of people with learning disabilities

Karen Mellor

Learning Disability Services, Blackpool, UK

Dave Dagnan

West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven, UK, dave.dagnan{at}ncumbria.nhs.uk

Alexithymia is a construct that has attracted considerable research for people without learning disabilities. People with alexithymia have difficulties recognizing and describing emotions and have an externally oriented cognitive style. Alexithymia has been closely associated with a variety of mental health and somatic problems. However, the construct of alexithymia has not been considered in respect to people with learning disabilities. This article identifies parallels between the concept of alexithymia and the emotion recognition difficulties and external cognitive styles that have been identified in people with learning disabilities. The article further identifies that many developmental factors considered important in the aetiology of alexithymia are significantly present in the lives of people with learning disabilities and that the association between alexithymia and mental health identified in other populations may also be important for people with learning disabilities. We conclude that there is a strong argument that alexithymia should be a focus of further research for people with learning disabilities.

Key Words: alexithymia • emotion recognition • external cognition • learning disabilities

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 9, No. 3, 229-239 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1744629505056696
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