{"id":{"repo_id":"cork","oai_identifier":"oai:cora.ucc.ie:10468/17955"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cork/oai:cora.ucc.ie:10468/17955","repository":{"repo_id":"cork","name":"University College Cork","base_url":"https://cora.ucc.ie/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Alexithymia and trauma in the prison population","abstract":"Alexithymia has been increasingly associated with criminal behaviour, impulsivity, aggression, and difficulties in emotion regulation, with research suggesting that it may be more common in prison populations than in the general population. Trauma has also been proposed as a potential factor influencing this relationship. The current research presents two complementary studies. First, a scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to examine existing literature on alexithymia in offender populations. Forty-three studies were included, which generally indicated that alexithymia may be widespread in these cohorts and is often linked with aggression, trauma, and mental health difficulties, suggesting a possible role in shaping emotional and behavioural outcomes. Second, an empirical study explored the prevalence and characteristics of alexithymia within an Irish prison population, with particular attention to trauma history and the distinction between primary and secondary alexithymia. Thirty-five male prisoners completed measures of trauma (Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire) and alexithymia (TAS-20, APRQ). Results suggested elevated rates of alexithymia and high levels of trauma exposure, with many participants reporting multiple ACEs. Preliminary analyses indicated a modest association between observer-rated alexithymia and ACE scores, and cluster analysis pointed to potential subgroups that may align with primary (low trauma, higher alexithymia) and secondary (high trauma, higher alexithymia) alexithymia. Taken together, these findings tentatively highlight the value of trauma-informed assessment and intervention in forensic settings, which may help to support emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning, and rehabilitation outcomes.","abstract_html":"Alexithymia has been increasingly associated with criminal behaviour, impulsivity, aggression, and difficulties in emotion regulation, with research suggesting that it may be more common in prison populations than in the general population. Trauma has also been proposed as a potential factor influencing this relationship. The current research presents two complementary studies. First, a scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to examine existing literature on alexithymia in offender populations. Forty-three studies were included, which generally indicated that alexithymia may be widespread in these cohorts and is often linked with aggression, trauma, and mental health difficulties, suggesting a possible role in shaping emotional and behavioural outcomes. Second, an empirical study explored the prevalence and characteristics of alexithymia within an Irish prison population, with particular attention to trauma history and the distinction between primary and secondary alexithymia. Thirty-five male prisoners completed measures of trauma (Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire) and alexithymia (TAS-20, APRQ). Results suggested elevated rates of alexithymia and high levels of trauma exposure, with many participants reporting multiple ACEs. Preliminary analyses indicated a modest association between observer-rated alexithymia and ACE scores, and cluster analysis pointed to potential subgroups that may align with primary (low trauma, higher alexithymia) and secondary (high trauma, higher alexithymia) alexithymia. Taken together, these findings tentatively highlight the value of trauma-informed assessment and intervention in forensic settings, which may help to support emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning, and rehabilitation outcomes.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["de Búrca, Isobel"],"institution":"University College Cork","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Ryan, Christian","Keating, Kim"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025","date_published":"2025","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:46:32Z","subjects":["Alexithymia","Prison population","Forensic psychology","Trauma Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)","Primary and secondary alexithymia"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["© 2025, Isobel de Búrca."],"rights_urls":["https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10468/17955","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Ryan, Christian","Keating, Kim"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["de Búrca, Isobel"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-10-06T10:55:50Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-10-06T10:55:50Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University College Cork"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Doctoral thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Practitioner Doctorate"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["DClinPsych - Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Alexithymia","Prison population","Forensic psychology","Trauma Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)","Primary and secondary alexithymia"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© 2025, Isobel de Búrca."]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10468/17955"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Alexithymia has been increasingly associated with criminal behaviour, impulsivity, aggression, and difficulties in emotion regulation, with research suggesting that it may be more common in prison populations than in the general population. Trauma has also been proposed as a potential factor influencing this relationship. The current research presents two complementary studies. First, a scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to examine existing literature on alexithymia in offender populations. Forty-three studies were included, which generally indicated that alexithymia may be widespread in these cohorts and is often linked with aggression, trauma, and mental health difficulties, suggesting a possible role in shaping emotional and behavioural outcomes. Second, an empirical study explored the prevalence and characteristics of alexithymia within an Irish prison population, with particular attention to trauma history and the distinction between primary and secondary alexithymia. Thirty-five male prisoners completed measures of trauma (Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire) and alexithymia (TAS-20, APRQ). Results suggested elevated rates of alexithymia and high levels of trauma exposure, with many participants reporting multiple ACEs. Preliminary analyses indicated a modest association between observer-rated alexithymia and ACE scores, and cluster analysis pointed to potential subgroups that may align with primary (low trauma, higher alexithymia) and secondary (high trauma, higher alexithymia) alexithymia. Taken together, these findings tentatively highlight the value of trauma-informed assessment and intervention in forensic settings, which may help to support emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning, and rehabilitation outcomes."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Alexithymia and trauma in the prison population"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Ryan, Christian","Keating, Kim"],"dc:creator":["de Búrca, Isobel"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-10-06T10:55:50Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-10-06T10:55:50Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025"],"dc:description.abstract":["Alexithymia has been increasingly associated with criminal behaviour, impulsivity, aggression, and difficulties in emotion regulation, with research suggesting that it may be more common in prison populations than in the general population. Trauma has also been proposed as a potential factor influencing this relationship. The current research presents two complementary studies. First, a scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to examine existing literature on alexithymia in offender populations. Forty-three studies were included, which generally indicated that alexithymia may be widespread in these cohorts and is often linked with aggression, trauma, and mental health difficulties, suggesting a possible role in shaping emotional and behavioural outcomes. Second, an empirical study explored the prevalence and characteristics of alexithymia within an Irish prison population, with particular attention to trauma history and the distinction between primary and secondary alexithymia. Thirty-five male prisoners completed measures of trauma (Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire) and alexithymia (TAS-20, APRQ). Results suggested elevated rates of alexithymia and high levels of trauma exposure, with many participants reporting multiple ACEs. Preliminary analyses indicated a modest association between observer-rated alexithymia and ACE scores, and cluster analysis pointed to potential subgroups that may align with primary (low trauma, higher alexithymia) and secondary (high trauma, higher alexithymia) alexithymia. Taken together, these findings tentatively highlight the value of trauma-informed assessment and intervention in forensic settings, which may help to support emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning, and rehabilitation outcomes."],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10468/17955"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["University College Cork"],"dc:rights":["© 2025, Isobel de Búrca."],"dc:rights.uri":["https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"dc:subject":["Alexithymia","Prison population","Forensic psychology","Trauma Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)","Primary and secondary alexithymia"],"dc:title":["Alexithymia and trauma in the prison population"],"dc:type":["Doctoral thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Practitioner Doctorate"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["DClinPsych - Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:46:32Z"}