Bachelor of Psychology, Department of Psychology,Volgograd State University

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Prosp. Universitetsky, 100, 400062 Volgograd, Russian Federation

 

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of Laboratory of Clinical Psychology,

Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology

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Zemlyachki St., 76, 400138 Volgograd, Russian Federation

 

Candidate of Medical Sciences, Leading Researcher,

Laboratory of Clinical Psychology,

Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology

Zemlyachki St., 76, 400138 Volgograd, Russian Federation;

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology,

Volgograd State University

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Prosp. Universitetsky, 100, 400062 Volgograd, Russian Federation

 

Assistant, Department of Pediatric Dentistry,

Volgograd State Medical University

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Pavshikh Bortsov Sq., 1, 400131 Volgograd, Russian Federation

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Abstract. The article reveals the problems of the study of alexithymia in psychology,clinical psychology, and psychosomatic medicine. We give existing concepts, classifications and approaches in understanding and disclosing of alexithymia as a psychological phenomenon. Today there is no unified concept for explaining this phenomenon. It is accepted to allocate two concepts (denial model and deficit model), divergent in their opinion on the causes of alexithymia and the reversibility of the phenomenon. In addition, modern researchers are creating new hypotheses and concepts of the content side of alexithymia, and its most important determinants, which are still awaiting confirmation (neurophysiological theory, association of alexithymia phenomenon with the peculiarities of psychological self-control, a neurotic response, psychosomatic compensation). One of the main issues of this phenomenon is the relationship of alexithymia with somatic diseases. Typical predictors of alexithymiс personality features, including cognition, personality profile, the structural features of the emotional sphere are presented in details. It was found that the personality profile of alexithymiс person is associated with the cognitive deficit, low emotional differentiation that determines the unstable emotional background, with a penchant for affective breakdowns, the reasons for which patients are realized poorly. Limited capacity to understand oneself, associated with a deficit of reflection, becomes an obstacle for psychotherapy of this psychological pathology.

Key words: alexithymia, psychology, psychosomatics, alexithymia features, reflection,psychotherapy, denial model, deficit model.