Prediction of Alexithymia in Students Based on Personality Traits and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

Continuity of alexithymia is also observed in non-clinical populations including students. The person is confronted with various emotional challenges in the stressful courses of change, such as university. Throughout college, having emotional skills sets an efficient and effective communication model for students' lives and makes them adapt to their academic requirements. The purpose of this study was the prediction of alexithymia in students based on personality traits and cognitive emotion regulation strategies.

The research method was descriptive-correlation and the statistical population of the study consisted of all female students of Islamic Azad University, Ayatollah Amoli Science and Research Branch in 2016-2017 in 1150 individuals, among which 285 students were selected by multi-stage sampling. The study tools included NEO-Five Factor Inventory by McCrae & Costa 1985; Toronto Alexithymia Scale by Bagby, Parker & Taylor (1994) and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by Garnefski, Kraaij & Spinhoven (2001). Data analysis was performed using hierarchical regression analysis.

The regression coefficient between negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies and alexithymia was positive and at the level of 0.01 was significant (P<0.01, β=0.344). Among the personality traits neuroticism (P<0.01, β=0.278) positively and extraversion (P<0.01, β=-0.328) negatively and at the level of 0.01 predicted alexithymia in female students.

Emotion regulation training is recommended for coping with environmental events and modifying personality manifestations in people with alexithymia symptoms.