Mediating Role of Attachment Styles in Relationship between Temperament and Character Dimensions and Alexithymia

Temperament differences play important role in attachment behavior. Attachment style is main determinant of emotion regulation method which takes shape in childhood in mother-child relationship framework. So purpose of present study was to determine mediating role of attachment styles in relationship between temperament and character dimensions and alexithymia.
The method was correlational research design and statistical population consisted all of female teachers who work in Kermanshah's education in 2013-2014 academic years. The sample include 300 teachers that were chosen by multi-stage cluster sampling and were participated in this research after consent for cooperation and they were asked to complete Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCT ), Toronto alexithymia scale (FTAS) and Adult Attachment Styles Inventory (AII). The data analysis was done by correlation coefficient and path analysis.
According to the results, proposed model for relationship between above variables has acceptable fit. The results of path analysis showed that aspects of innovativeness and harm avoidance and self-directedness temperament have direct effect on alexithymia. Also aspects of innovativeness and harm avoidance and self-directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence temperament with alexithymia has indirect effect in mediation of insecure attachment styles and there is positive and significant relationship between aspects of harm avoidance temperament, innovativeness and cooperativeness temperament, self-transcendence with anxiety insecure attachment style.
According to findings of this research, we could conclude that unsecure attachment style between temperament and character dimension and alexithymia have mediator role.