['Assessment of the etiology of alexithymia is in most studies hindered by recall bias. The aim of the present study was to assess the significance of individual developmental factors at the age of 5 years for alexithymia in late adolescence. By using data from a child welfare center check-up at the age of 5 years, it was possible to avoid recall bias.', 'The sample consisted of 723 subjects who were comprehensively examined at the age of 5 years at a child welfare center where their state of health and verbal, gross motor, visuomotor, socioemotional, and cognitive development were assessed. In late adolescence (mean age, 19 years) their alexithymic features were measured using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale.', 'In females, none of the developmental factors remained associated with later alexithymic features in the multivariate analyses. However, in males, emphasis on the variables measuring speech development was important. In particular, a variable measuring the ability to comply with multipart instructions, thus receptive language skills, was strongly related with alexithymic features in late adolescence.'] Does deficit in speech development at the age of 5 years predict alexithymia in late-adolescent males?