Testing the Stress-Alexithymia Hypothesis and the Prolonging Effect of Memory Distortions

We hypothesized alexithymia increases memory distortions and stress responses. 32 emergency responders completed a survey and watched a car crash video. Pupil diameter was greater when recalling the video than watching it (t₃₁ = -4.469, p < 0.001). The results partially supported our hypothesis. Further research should examine alternative mediators.