Affective Deprivation Disorder (AfDD) is a relational disorder resulting in an emotional deprivation sometimes experienced by the partner (or child) of persons with a low emotional intelligence or alexithymia. Referring to a disordered relationship, AfDD includes pathological patterns of relating by both individuals, where alexithymia is simply one of the primary mediating factors.

Coined by researcher Maxine Aston, AfDD was first applied to partners of adults with Asperger’s Syndrome, many of whom showed disturbing physical and psychological reactions to the lack of emotional reciprocity they were experiencing in their relationship. Maxine was later to broaden AfDD’s applicability to include disorders other than Asperger’s such as depression, eating disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, personality disorder, and substance abuse disorder in which the same low emotional intelligence or alexithymia is a key relational factor.

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To qualify for a diagnosis of AfDD some or all of the following indicators in each category must be present:

At least one partner must meet criteria for a diagnosis of one or more of the following:

• Low Emotional Intelligence
• Alexithymia
• Low Empathy Quotient

Relationship profile includes one or more of the following

• High relational conflict
• Domestic abuse: emotional and/or physical
• Reduced marital or relationship satisfaction
• Reduced relationship quality

Possible Psychological Symptoms of AfDD

• Low self esteem.
• Feeling confused/bewildered.
• Feelings of anger, depression and anxiety
• Feelings of guilt.
• Loss of self/depersonalisation
• Phobias – social/agoraphobia
• Posttraumatic stress reactivity
• Breakdown

Possible Psychosomatic Effects

• Fatigue
• Sleeplessness
• Migraines.
• Loss or gain in weight.
• PMT/female related problems.
• ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).
• Low immune system - colds to cancer.

Each of these diagnostic factors and sub-factors can be formally assessed with clinical tests such as the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i); Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20); Post Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (PTS-RI); and various clinical scales for assessing anger, depression, anxiety, and relationship quality.

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The following treatment issues can be explored with those suffering AfDD:

Rebuilding Self Esteem

• Having a voice
• Looking at negative responses.
• Looking at self image.
• Building confidence.
• Becoming assertive.
• Attending a Workshop.

Finding Self

• Identifying Parent - Child roles.
• Changing learned helplessness.
• Rebuilding self.
• Rebuilding family and relationships.
• Rebuilding a social life.
• Finding support.

Maxine’s present focus is on Autistic Spectrum disorders with particular emphasis on Asperger’s Syndrome, due to the high 85% prevalence of alexithymia in this spectrum. ASD’s frequently include an impairment in theory of mind (ToM) ability which is thought to further aggravate the affective deprivation experienced in AfDD. For more information on this subject visit Maxine Aston’s website at: http://www.maxineaston.co.uk/

Differential diagnosis of 'Primary' and 'Secondary' emotional deprivation:

The closely related term "Emotional Deprivation Disorder" is an informal concept referring to a more enduring emotional deprivation whose etiology is different to that of AfDD. Although the two concepts have similarities of behaviour, a differential diagnosis is made on the following criteria:

Emotional Deprivation Disorder is an enduring disorder of the self stemming from deprivation during childhood development, and is differentiated from the relational disorder proposed by AfDD in which the individual's behaviours are reliant on the dynamics of a current relationship.

These two distinct disorders may sometimes be co-present, as when someone with EDD habitually seeks out emotionally depriving relationships in adulthood, which lead to a further embedding of the entrenched deprivation experience.

The best way to distinguish EDD and AfDD is think in terms of the permanence or transiency of the emotionally-deprived condition. EDD is a primary and enduring condition which seems to alter little over time or with changing circumstances. Whereas AfDD is a secondary relational condition which disappears after the evoking stressful situation has been altered. The secondary deprivation of AfDD is much more likely to be responsive to treatment intervention than EDD.

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See Also this article on the "Cassandra Phenomenon": Representing Cassandra in Matrimonial Law