Prevalence and relevant associations of alexithymia in a Dutch general population sample and in comparison to clinical patients with somatic symptom disorder (SSD)

Single Wave Study

General Information

Title

Project Number

138

Abstract

It is explored whether or not alexithymia occurs more often in patients with SSD, compared to the general population.

Longitudinal Type

Single Wave Study

Begin date

07-07-2014

End date

29-07-2014

Topics

Health and well-being (LISS)

Psychology (LISS/ELSST)

Researcher

L. de Vroege; C.M. van der Feltz-Cornelis

Publisher

CentERdata

Funding Organization

CentERdata
MESS Project

DOI

https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-xpa-hzyq

Datasets and documentation

View Documentation

Codebook in English

codebook_lo14a_EN_1.1.pdf

Codebook in Dutch

codeboek_lo14a_NL_1.1.pdf

Data Files

English SPSS file

lo14a_EN_1.1p.sav

English STATA file

lo14a_EN_1.1p.dta

Variables

Variable name	Variable Label	Variable Type
nomem_encr	Number of the household member encrypted	preloaded
lo14a_m	Year and month of the fieldwork period	constructed
lo14a001	I find it hard to put my feelings into words.	directly measured
lo14a002	Before I fall asleep, I often imagine all sorts of events, encounters and conversations.	directly measured
lo14a003	When I’m upset, I know whether I’m afraid or sad or angry.	directly measured
lo14a004	When something happens completely unexpectedly, I remain calm and cool.	directly measured
lo14a005	I don’t pay much attention to my emotions.	directly measured
lo14a006	I enjoy telling other people about my emotions.	directly measured
lo14a007	I don’t daydream or fantasize much.	directly measured
lo14a008	When I am tense, it remains unclear for me which emotional feeling causes that.	directly measured
lo14a009	When I see someone crying intensely, I remain unaffected.	directly measured
lo14a010	One should try to understand emotions.	directly measured
lo14a011	I find it hard to talk about my feelings even with a friend.	directly measured
lo14a012	I fantasize a lot.	directly measured
lo14a013	When things become too much for me, I usually understand why.	directly measured
lo14a014	I become emotional when friends of mine fight around me.	directly measured
lo14a015	When I don’t feel right, I’m not going to make myself feel worse by asking myself why I feel that way.	directly measured
lo14a016	When I want to say how bad I feel, it’s easy for me to find the words to express that.	directly measured
lo14a017	I’m not interested in fairy tales or bizarre stories.	directly measured
lo14a018	When I feel good, it remains unclear for me whether it’s because I’m light-hearted or delighted or happy.	directly measured
lo14a019	Emotions often just surface in me.	directly measured
lo14a020	When I don’t feel good, I try and find out why I feel that way.	directly measured
lo14a021	People often tell me I should talk about my feelings more.	directly measured
lo14a022	I rarely fantasize.	directly measured
lo14a023	I don’t know what goes on inside of me.	directly measured
lo14a024	Even when other people are extremely enthusiastic about something, I remain unaffected.	directly measured
lo14a025	There’s little to understand about emotions.	directly measured
lo14a026	When something has unsettled me, then I talk about my feelings with others.	directly measured
lo14a027	I like to think up fantastical stories.	directly measured
lo14a028	When I feel bad, then I know whether I’m afraid or gloomy or sad.	directly measured
lo14a029	Unexpected events often overwhelm me with emotions.	directly measured
lo14a030	I think that you should remain in touch with your feelings.	directly measured
lo14a031	I can express my feelings.	directly measured
lo14a032	I feel that fantasizing about unrealistic matters is a waste of time.	directly measured
lo14a033	When I’m a burden to myself, it remains unclear to me whether I’m sad or afraid or unhappy.	directly measured
lo14a034	I accept disappointment without any emotion.	directly measured
lo14a035	I find it strange that other people analyze their emotions so often.	directly measured
lo14a036	When I talk to people, I talk more about my daily activities than about my feelings.	directly measured
lo14a037	When I have little to do, then I daydream.	directly measured
lo14a038	When I am in a bright mood, I know it’s because I’m enthusiastic or cheerful or upbeat.	directly measured
lo14a039	When I see another person crying, I feel the sadness welling up in me.	directly measured
lo14a040	When I am tense, I want to know exactly where that feeling is coming from.	directly measured
lo14a041	The highest level of education I completed is:	directly measured
lo14a042	The type of education I have followed up until now is especially:	directly measured
lo14a043	Other	directly measured
lo14a044	How would you describe your health in general?	directly measured
lo14a045	How would you rate your health in general now compared to a year ago?	directly measured
lo14a046	Strenuous exercise, such as running, lifting heavy objects, participating in a strenuous sport	directly measured
lo14a047	Moderate exercise, such as moving a table, vacuuming, swimming or cycling	directly measured
lo14a048	Lifting or carrying groceries	directly measured
lo14a049	Walking up a few flights of stairs	directly measured
lo14a050	Walking up one flight of stairs	directly measured
lo14a051	Bending, kneeling or squatting	directly measured
lo14a052	Walking more than a kilometer	directly measured
lo14a053	Walking a few hundred meters	directly measured
lo14a054	Walking approx. a hundred meters	directly measured
lo14a055	Washing or getting dressed	directly measured
lo14a056	You spent less time working or doing other activities	directly measured
lo14a057	You achieved less than you would like	directly measured
lo14a058	You were limited in the type of work or other activities	directly measured
lo14a059	You had difficulty performing your work or other activities (for example, it required extra effort from you)	directly measured
lo14a060	You spent less time working or other activities	directly measured
lo14a061	You achieved less than you would like	directly measured
lo14a062	You did not do your work or other activities as carefully as usual	directly measured
lo14a063	To what extent have your physical health or emotional problems limited you in your normal interactions with family, friends or neighbors, or during group activities in the past 4 weeks?	directly measured
lo14a064	How much physical pain have you experienced in the past 4 weeks?	directly measured
lo14a065	To what extent were you limited by pain in your normal work (work outside of the home as well as domestic chores) in the past 4 weeks?	directly measured
lo14a066	did you feel lively?	directly measured
lo14a067	were you very nervous?	directly measured
lo14a068	were you so down in the dumps that nothing could cheer you up?	directly measured
lo14a069	did you feel calm and satisfied?	directly measured
lo14a070	did you feel energetic?	directly measured
lo14a071	did you feel somber and gloomy?	directly measured
lo14a072	did you feel exhausted?	directly measured
lo14a073	were you a happy person?	directly measured
lo14a074	did you feel tired?	directly measured
lo14a075	How often did your physical health or emotional problems limit you during social activities (such as visiting friends and family, etc.) in the past 4 weeks?	directly measured
lo14a076	I seem to get sick a bit more easily	directly measured
lo14a077	I am just as healthy as other people	directly measured
lo14a078	I expect that my health will deteriorate	directly measured
lo14a079	My health is excellent	directly measured
lo14a080	Was it difficult to answer the questions?	directly measured
lo14a081	Were the questions sufficiently clear?	directly measured
lo14a082	Did the questionnaire get you thinking about things?	directly measured
lo14a083	Was it an interesting subject?	directly measured
lo14a084	Did you enjoy answering the questions?	directly measured
lo14a085	Starting date questionnaire	constructed
lo14a086	Starting time questionnaire	constructed
lo14a087	End date questionnaire	constructed
lo14a088	End time questionnaire	constructed
lo14a089	Duration in seconds	derived

Questions

Questionnaire: Prevalence and relevant associations of alexithymia

The questionnaire was administered in Dutch.

Browse Prevalence and relevant associations of alexithymia

Response Information

Response Overview

Selected number of household members: 1,434 (100%)
Non-response: 335 (23.4%)
Response: 1,099 (76.6%)
Complete: 1,086 (75.7%)
Incomplete: 13 (0.9%)

Collection Events

Period

07-07-2014 to 29-07-2014

Sample

Selection of 1434 respondents in the age 18 years and older

Collection Mode

internet survey

Fieldwork Note

A reminder was sent twice to non-respondents.

Publications

Psychometric Properties of the Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ) in the General Population and a Clinical Population Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9(111), 11 p.; De Vroege, L. et al.

Short and long instructional manipulation checks: What do they measure? International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 32(4), 790–800; Morren, M., et al.