The role of mediation of alexithymia in the relationship between depression and marital satisfaction in elementary school teachers with gender moderation

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mediating of alexithymia in the relationship between depression and marital satisfaction with gender moderation done.

The statistical society included all married teachers in the elementary school of Arvand Free Zone who were engaged in the academic year of 2017, 300 subjects were selected as sample groups through available sampling method. The tools used to measure variables in this research were: Toronto Alexithymia scale, Enrich marital satisfaction questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling method using Amos software.

The results showed that Depression has a negative and significant relationship with marital satisfaction (β = -0.28, p≤ 0.01), The direct relation between alexithymia and marital satisfaction is also negative and significant (p = -0.10, β and p0.05), There is a direct, positive and significant relationship between depression and alexithymia (β = 0.21 and p≤0.01). There is also an indirect relationship between depression and marital satisfaction through alexithymia(β = -0.02 and p≤0.01). Finally, the results showed that gender does not modify the relationship between depression and marital satisfaction.

It can be inferred that decreasing depressive symptoms in couples increases their marital satisfaction both directly and through reduced alexithymia.