Table 2. Alexithymia, self-compassion, and altered self-capacities scores by treatment group and baseline self-experience levels.
| Therapy with placebo | MDMA-assisted therapy | Between-group difference in change scores | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | Baseline | N | Follow-up | Change4,5,7 | N | Baseline | N | Follow-up | Change4,5,7 | p-value6,7 | |
| Baseline TAS-201,2, mean (SD) | 44 | 55.73 (10.64) | 40 | 51.20 (11.47) | -3.39 (1.57)* | 46 | 53.00 (13.75) | 42 | 41.62 (11.71) | -12.06 (1.75)* | < .0001* |
| No alexithymia | 18 | 45.56 (3.70) | 17 | 43.41 (9.49) | -6.24 (2.76)* | 19 | 39.84 (7.91) | 17 | 35.12 (8.30) | -11.72 (3.22)* | 0.35 |
| Alexithymia | 26 | 62.77 (7.71) | 23 | 56.96 (9.29) | -1.51 (2.26) | 27 | 62.26 (8.28) | 25 | 46.04 (11.74) | -12.85 (2.43)* | < .0006* |
| Baseline SCS1,3, mean (SD) | 44 | 2.18 (0.68) | 40 | 2.51 (0.86) | 0.24 (0.12)^ | 46 | 2.38 (0.83) | 42 | 3.50 (0.81) | 1.08 (0.13)* | < .0001* |
| Moderate or High | 14 | 2.98 (0.45) | 13 | 3.22 (0.84) | 0.38 (0.23) | 19 | 3.22 (0.54) | 18 | 3.76 (0.62) | 0.76 (0.23)* | .42 |
| Low | 30 | 1.80 (0.38) | 27 | 2.16 (0.64) | 0.23 (0.16) | 27 | 1.79 (0.35) | 24 | 3.30 (0.88) | 1.36 (0.20)* | < .0001* |
| Baseline IASC1, mean (SD) | |||||||||||
| Interpersonal Conflicts | 44 | 2.57 (0.93) | 40 | 2.27 (0.84) | -0.25 (0.11)* | 46 | 2.53 (0.99) | 42 | 1.81 (0.58) | -0.69 (0.12)* | .0027* |
| ≤ median 2.33 | 24 | 1.90 (0.33) | 22 | 2.00 (0.64) | -0.29 (0.16) | 23 | 1.74 (0.29) | 21 | 1.55 (0.49) | -0.68 (0.17)* | .21 |
| > median | 20 | 3.36 (0.78) | 18 | 2.61 (0.95) | -0.20 (0.19) | 23 | 3.33 (0.77) | 21 | 2.07 (0.55) | -0.72 (0.20)* | .08 |
| Idealization-Disillusionment | 44 | 2.25 (1.08) | 40 | 1.86 (0.93) | -0.31 (0.11)* | 46 | 2.02 (0.99) | 42 | 1.39 (0.59) | -0.70 (0.12)* | .0095* |
| ≤ median 1.84 | 19 | 1.29 (0.22) | 17 | 1.35 (0.57) | -0.48 (0.19)* | 26 | 1.29 (0.23) | 24 | 1.12 (0.36) | -0.69 (0.18)* | .71 |
| > median | 25 | 2.98 (0.89) | 23 | 2.23 (0.97) | -0.20 (0.17) | 20 | 2.97 (0.76) | 18 | 1.75 (0.65) | -0.75 (0.21)* | .05 |
| Abandonment Concerns | 44 | 2.57 (1.01) | 40 | 2.22 (0.99) | -0.23 (0.13) | 46 | 2.41 (1.14) | 42 | 1.70 (0.80) | -0.62 (0.14)* | .0293* |
| ≤ median 2.28 | 20 | 1.62 (0.34) | 18 | 1.78 (0.87) | -0.21 (0.24) | 25 | 1.50 (0.37) | 24 | 1.32 (0.54) | -0.59 (0.24)* | .39 |
| > median | 24 | 3.37 (0.62) | 22 | 2.59 (0.94) | -0.26 (0.22) | 21 | 3.50 (0.70) | 18 | 2.20 (0.84) | -0.64 (0.27)* | .43 |
| Identity Impairment | 44 | 5.50 (2.21) | 40 | 4.70 (2.08) | -0.66 (0.23)* | 46 | 5.00 (1.97) | 42 | 3.72 (1.71) | -1.57 (0.25)* | .0036* |
| ≤ median 4.83 | 20 | 3.52 (0.79) | 19 | 3.54 (1.00) | -1.26 (0.41) | 25 | 3.55 (0.91) | 24 | 2.70 (0.75) | -2.11 (0.38)* | .1594 |
| > median | 24 | 7.15 (1.55) | 21 | 5.59 (1.62) | -0.10 (0.38) | 21 | 6.73 (1.42) | 18 | 4.53 (1.81) | -1.09 (0.41)* | .1419 |
| Self-Awareness | 44 | 3.22 (1.19) | 40 | 2.85 (1.03) | -0.29 (0.14)^ | 46 | 2.97 (1.12) | 42 | 2.08 (0.98) | -0.96 (0.16)* | .0010* |
| ≤ median 3.00 | 23 | 2.23 (0.60) | 21 | 2.48 (0.91) | -0.01 (0.26) | 23 | 2.01 (0.57) | 20 | 1.65 (0.60) | -0.66 (0.29)* | .09 |
| > median | 21 | 4.30 (0.56) | 19 | 3.25 (1.01) | -0.62 (0.28)* | 23 | 3.93 (0.55) | 22 | 2.46 (1.10) | -1.14 (0.25)* | .28 |
| Identity Diffusion | 44 | 2.28 (1.21) | 40 | 1.78 (0.85) | -0.36 (0.10)* | 46 | 2.03 (1.05) | 42 | 1.40 (0.69) | -0.61 (0.12)* | .0757 |
| ≤ median 1.75 | 22 | 1.30 (0.31) | 21 | 1.38 (0.55) | -0.36 (0.18)* | 25 | 1.20 (0.27) | 23 | 1.09 (0.21) | -0.60 (0.18)* | .58 |
| > median | 22 | 3.26 (0.93) | 19 | 2.21 (0.92) | -0.36 (0.20) | 21 | 3.02 (0.70) | 19 | 1.79 (0.86) | -0.63 (0.20)* | .61 |
| Susceptibility to Influence | 44 | 2.04 (0.92) | 40 | 1.76 (0.73) | -0.14 (0.09) | 46 | 1.90 (0.86) | 42 | 1.28 (0.41) | -0.55 (0.10)* | .0012* |
| ≤ median 1.78 | 23 | 1.37 (0.26) | 21 | 1.49 (0.56) | -0.29 (0.14)^ | 23 | 1.22 (0.22) | 20 | 1.17 (0.42) | -0.58 (0.16)* | .33 |
| > median | 21 | 2.76 (0.83) | 19 | 2.05 (0.80) | 0.02 (0.15) | 23 | 2.58 (0.69) | 22 | 1.38 (0.37) | -0.56 (0.15)* | .0099* |
| Affect Dysregulation | 44 | 5.85 (2.14) | 40 | 4.70 (2.08) | -0.96 (0.27)* | 46 | 5.48 (2.28) | 42 | 3.72 (1.71) | -1.75 (0.30)* | .0349* |
| ≤ median 5.80 | 22 | 4.1 (1.04) | 21 | 3.74 (1.69) | -1.30 (0.44)* | 23 | 3.46 (0.88) | 21 | 2.85 (1.16) | -1.92 (0.53)* | .6381 |
| > median | 22 | 7.61 (1.35) | 19 | 5.76 (1.97) | -0.54 (0.51) | 23 | 7.49 (1.16) | 21 | 4.59 (1.74) | -1.63 (0.50)* | .1763 |
| Affect Instability | 44 | 2.81 (1.10) | 40 | 2.29 (0.99) | -0.40 (0.13)* | 46 | 2.57 (1.23) | 42 | 1.84 (0.84) | -0.76 (0.15)* | .0454* |
| ≤ median 2.50 | 22 | 1.92 (0.48) | 21 | 1.82 (0.67) | -0.55 (0.22)* | 26 | 1.62 (0.46) | 24 | 1.52 (0.68) | -0.73 (0.25)* | .88 |
| > median | 22 | 3.70 (0.76) | 19 | 2.80 (1.04) | -0.24 (0.24) | 20 | 3.81 (0.65) | 18 | 2.26 (0.87) | -0.84 (0.26)* | .12 |
| Affect Skill Deficit | 44 | 3.04 (1.24) | 40 | 2.41 (1.24) | -0.56 (0.15)* | 46 | 2.90 (1.17) | 42 | 1.88 (0.92) | -0.98 (0.17)* | .0424* |
| ≤ median 3.00 | 22 | 1.99 (0.69) | 20 | 1.60 (0.60) | -0.41 (0.57)* | 24 | 1.97 (0.67) | 22 | 1.50 (0.65) | -0.43 (0.83)* | 1.0 |
| > median | 22 | 4.09 (0.60) | 20 | 3.22 (1.19) | -0.84 (1.45) | 22 | 3.93 (0.59) | 20 | 2.29 (1.00) | -1.60 (0.92)* | .02* |
| Tension Reduction Activities | 44 | 1.88 (0.57) | 40 | 1.66 (0.48) | -0.19 (0.07)* | 46 | 1.85 (0.71) | 42 | 1.40 (0.45) | -0.42 (0.08)* | .0206* |
| ≤ median 1.78 | 20 | 1.43 (0.20) | 18 | 1.54 (0.43) | -0.13 (0.12) | 26 | 1.34 (0.26) | 24 | 1.26 (0.41) | -0.37 (0.12)* | .30 |
| > median | 24 | 2.25 (0.50) | 22 | 1.75 (0.52) | -0.24 (0.10)* | 20 | 2.52 (0.53) | 18 | 1.60 (0.44) | -0.47 (0.14)* | .36 |
1 Abbreviations: TAS-20 = Toronto Alexithymia Scale; SCS = Self-Compassion Scale; IASC = Inventory of Altered Self-Capacities; ASC = Altered Self-Capacities
2 TAS-20 cutoff scores: no alexithymia ≤50; borderline alexithymia (51–60); alexithymia (≥61) (Bagby et al. 1994)
3 SCS cutoff scores: low (1–2.4); moderate (2.5–3.4); high (3.5–5.0) (Neff 2003)
4 Change scores are Least Square Means (Standard Errors)
5 (*) = indicates a p-value of < .05 for within-subjects comparison of baseline vs. follow-up scores; (^) p = 0.05
6 (*) indicates a p-value of < .05 for between-group subjects’ comparison of Therapy with placebo change scores vs. MDMA-assisted therapy change scores; (^) p = 0.05
7 All models adjusted for baseline CAPS-5 Dissociative Subtype (Yes/ No), baseline self-experience score (TAS-20, SCS, or IASC factor score), and corrected for multiple comparisons using Tukey’s HSD