Alexithymia and its Relationships with Eating Behavior, Self Esteem, and Body Esteem in College Women

of the TAS-20 was 28.7%, and the frequency of students with potential ED who scored 20 points or more of the EAT-26 was 8.7%. The prevalence of potential ED in the alexithymics (14.0%) was significantly higher than that in the non-alexithymics (6.5%). The mean values of the RSES and BES scores were significantly different between the alexithymic and non-alexithymic groups. The TAS-20 scores were unrelated to the age and body mass index, but were significantly correlated to the EAT-26 (total score (r = 0.12, p = 0.04), bulimia and food preoccupation (r = 0.14, p = 0.01)), the RSES (r = -0.44, p < 0.001), and BES (total score (r = -0.22, p < 0.001), appearance (r = -0.23, p < 0.001), and weight (r = -012, p = 0.04)). These results suggest that, in non-clinical college women, alexithymia is a common psychological characteristic that is strongly correlated with self esteem and body esteem and that may influence eating behavior.