No feelings for me, no feelings for you: A meta-analysis on alexithymia and empathy in psychopathy

Psychopathy is characterized by extensive emotional impairments. However, the current empirical literature on empathy and alexithymia in psychopathy provides heterogeneous results. Random-effects models were performed studies examining association between Interpersonal Reactivity Index as well Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. In total, 72 articles providing 716 effect sizes representing 15,016 participants included analyses. Furthermore, differences among factors role of potential moderators assessed. We found negative relationships (r = −0.31), empathic concern −0.29), perspective taking −0.22), personal distress −0.14). addition, our results yielded positive 0.21), difficulty describing feelings 0.20), identifying 0.16), externally-oriented thinking 0.15). The varied factors, some moderated gender. These findings suggest that associated with deficits various processes an impaired perception one's own emotions. Moreover, highlight necessity to investigate these not only across overall constructs, but also their further improve understanding aberrant emotionality psychopathy.