Psychological well-being: the role of self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego-strength

Abstract

Introduction: Psychological well-being as a component of positive psychology is associated with a variety of personal and family factors in psychology such as self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego strength. Aim: This study was aimed to investigate on prediction of psychological well-being based on self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego strength in students in Islamic Azad University in Qom city. Method: Its method was descriptive and type of correlation. The statistical community included all students in Islamic Azad University in Qom city in academic year of 2016-2017, that 350 students (195 male and 155 female) were chose by cluster sampling method. Gathering data tool included Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI), Alexithymia Scale, 4 factors of Catell's Sixteen Factors Personality Inventory, and Ryff Psychological Well-being Questionnaire. Data analyzed by using of SPSS-26 software with Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariable regression analysis. Results: Findings showed that self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego strength could predict 25/38 variance of psychological well-being (P<0.001). Also there was direct correlation between psychological well-being with self-differentiation and ego strength, and was negative correlation with Alexithymia (P<0.001). Conclusion: With attention to results the role of self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego strength in prediction of psychological well-being were important. It can be indicate that high levels of self-differentiation and ego strength, and low level of Alexithymia were salient in shaping of psychological well-being, and with diagnosing and improvement in self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego strength can expect to promotion in psychological well-being in students.

Keywords

• self-differentiation
• alexithymia
• ego strength
• psychological