Prevalence of Alexithymia and Its Association with Demographic Variables in Students

Abstract

Background: Emotional strengthening, facilitates being faced with life challenges and improves the level of peoples' mental health. In the present study, prevalence of alexithymia and its relationship with demographic variables has been investigated. Methods: A sample of 571 undergraduate students of Kharazmi university of Tehran (Karaj campus), 202 boys and 369 girls, aged 18-25 were chosen with Stratified sampling method and completed Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) and Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Data were analyzed by descriptive indices, independent sample T-test and Pearson’s correlation. Results: The overall prevalence of alexithymia was 15.1% (17.3% boys, 13.8% girls). Result of independent sample T-test showed that alexithymia was associated with male gender, language (monolingual and bilingual) and handedness. As to the three factors of the TAS-20, boys scored higher in externally oriented thinking (EOT), but there was no gender difference in difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) and difficulty in describing feelings (DDF). Conclusion: Based on this finding male gender, bilingualism and right handing has important indicator for became alexithymic in the individual.

Keywords

• Alexithymia
• Prevalence
• Demographic variable