THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALEXITHYMIA, DEPRESSION, AND SLEEP QUALITY

Since possible causes, but no definitive causes, of bad sleep has been identified, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between depressions, alexithymia and sleep quality with descriptive-correlation method. This study descriptive correlational study was conducted on 120 (60 mal, 60 female) students of Tabriz University that were selected by random sampling. Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21) were used to collect data. The data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation test and multivariate regression analysis methods. There was a significant relationship between d epression and s leep quality in students, as well as between a lexithymia and its components. Multivariate regression analysis (step by step) showed that the two components of a lexithymia include: difficulty identifying feelings and d ifficulty describing feelings predicts of s leep quality. This study confirmed the relationship between depression and alexithymia via sleep quality.