ALEXITHYMY AND EMPATHY IN THE CONSULTATION
Difficulty making sense of and processing emotions underlies the discovery of alexithymia as a construct. In this sense, the choice of the subject of the monograph proposed for review is not only relevant, but also socially significant.
The book is structured in four chapters with subchapters and has the character of a theoretical-empirical study. It is spread over 128 pages, and the bibliographic reference contains scientific sources in Cyrillic and Latin, relevant to the chosen discourse.
IN Introduction (p. 3-5) of the monographic work crystallize the author's motives; on developing the problem of the relationship between empathy and alexithymia as a personality disposition and condition in adults. As a result of the interpretive analysis and the conducted empirical research, the idea is put forward to identify a set of techniques to optimize the treatment of alexithymia in the selected age range.
ALEXITHYMY AND EMPATHY IN THE CONSULTATION
In the theoretical exposition of First chapter (pp. 5-36) a review of classical and modern theoretical models that clarify the phenomenology of empathy and alexithymia is made. A thorough review of the underlying factors and their relationship to the biological substrate has been carried out. The formation of alexithymic traits with the peculiarities of family upbringing and family interaction has been widely discussed. Different definitions of empathy and alexithymia as multidimensional psychological constructs are discussed.
The second chapter (pp.37-62) and the third chapter (pp.63-84) of the book successfully present the author's intention to conceptualize his empirical research. It is based both on the authentic psychological settings analyzed in the first chapter, and on scientific creativity to identify features related to alexithymia and empathy in a subclinical sample.
ALEXITHYMY AND EMPATHY IN THE CONSULTATION
The empirical frameworks of the subject and the object, as well as the number of researched persons included in the actual research, are clearly defined. The author demonstrates competence in presenting the methodology, organization and stages of conducting the empirical procedure. Based on the specifically outlined research goals and tasks, the methodological toolkit of the research is adequately proposed. The tools chosen in the specific methodology are relevant to the goals and tasks of the overall empirical research. The methodological toolkit is described in detail and with a logical sequence. In accordance with the scientific rules, the methods for statistical processing of the data are also described, which guarantees the reliability of the analysis of the obtained results. The obtained results are processed statistically, thoroughly interpreted and visualized in a number of tables and diagrams.
The derived summaries provide a basis for the development in fourth chapter (p. 85-116) of the monograph on a Model for counseling based on the data obtained from the test study with techniques from Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. The proposed techniques are justified as effective in working with problems of emotional development in children and adolescents, with a view to overcoming alexithymia and forming skills to recognize, verbalize and react to emotions.
IN CONCLUSION The scientific contribution of the author of the monograph can be highlighted in his achievement of connecting theory with observations from his own professional practice and, on this basis, convincingly justifying therapeutic practice for solving the specific tasks set out in the empirical research and related to the validation of a new psychodiagnostic tool for Bulgaria - Empathy potential test.
