Psychometric evaluation of the Norwegian Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) in a multisite clinical sample of patients with personality disorders and personality problems.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Psychometric properties of 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) have been widely analyzed, but the validity and psychometric qualities of the TAS-20 in populations with personality disorders are still poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to analyze the factor structure and validity of TAS-20. METHOD: Data were extracted from a multisite clinical sample of patients with personality disorders or personality-related problems referred to specialist mental health services in Norway. RESULTS: With one exception, TAS-20 revealed acceptable psychometric properties. Variations of TAS-20 are associated with other clinical measures of distress and severity. Anxiety disorders, borderline, and avoidant personality disorders were all highly related to levels of TAS-20. The TAS-20 also revealed unique variance not accounted for by subjective distress, symptom disorders, or dysfunctional personality traits. CONCLUSION: The TAS-20 is a relevant instrument for use in assessment of personality disorders, but one subscale should be improved.