Abstract
The moderating role of attachment styles on the relationship between alexithymia and interpersonal problemswas assessed in the present study. Eight hundred and twenty nine Iranian general populations (372 men, 457women) who were living in Tehran were involved in this study. The participants were asked to complete threequestionnaires including Adult Attachment Inventory, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, and Inventory ofInterpersonal Problems. Results showed a significant negative correlation between secure attachment style andinterpersonal problems. Moreover, the results revealed that avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles as well asalexithymia had a significant positive correlation with interpersonal problems. Regression analysis indicated thatattachment styles have a moderating role on the relationship between alexithymia and interpersonal problems. Itcan be concluded that the relationship between alexithymia and interpersonal problems is not a simple linear one.This is partly moderated by attachment styles.
Highlights
Alexithymia is a kind of mood deficiency that causes inability to regulate emotions as well as inability in cognitive processing (e.g., Taylor & Bagby, 2000)
Alexithymia has a polyhedral structure, which composed of a) difficulty in identifying feelings and distinguishing between feelings and physical anxiety related to emotional stimulation; b) difficulty describing feelings for others; c) limited visualizing that is specified in terms of poverty fantasies; d) objective cognitive style, pragmatic and fact-based as well as externally oriented thinking (Sifneos, 2000; Taylor & Bagby, 2000)
The present study was aimed to examine the relationship of alexithymia and attachment styles with interpersonal problems
Summary
Alexithymia is a kind of mood deficiency that causes inability to regulate emotions as well as inability in cognitive processing (e.g., Taylor & Bagby, 2000). Several studies have shown that people with alexithymia have difficulty in identifying others’ emotion from their faces (e.g., Lane, Sechrest, Riedel, Weldon, Kaszniak et al, 1996). They have limited capacity for sympathy with others' emotional conditions (e.g., McDougall, 1989). In addition to the fact that people with alexithymia can not correctly identify the emotion from others’ faces (e.g., Lane et al, 1996), they are not able to always show sympathy with other individuals (e.g., McDougall, 1989) By considering these two facts, it can be hypothesized that these people have interpersonal problems. One of the objectives of the present study was to investigate this relation in a sample of Iranian general population
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