Is there any relation between alexithymia in parents and children? Effects on children’s quality of life

  1. Esther Castañeda López 2
  2. Silvia Benito Moreno 3
  3. Cecilia Peñacoba Puente 1
  1. 1 Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
    info

    Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01v5cv687

  2. 2 Centro Universitario ESCUNI (Adscrito UCM), Madrid
  3. 3 Orientadora de la Consejería de Educación, Comunidad de Madrid, Madrid
Montrer des affiliations +
Revue:
Electronic journal of research in educational psychology

ISSN: 1696-2095

Année de publication: 2018

Volumen: 16

Número: 44

Pages: 103-126

Type: Article

DOI: 10.25115/EJREP.V16I44.1939 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAccès ouvert editor

D'autres publications dans: Electronic journal of research in educational psychology

Résumé

Introduction. The study of alexithymia in children (especially in healthy children), contrary to adult populations, has not been studied extensively, despite its relevant relation to health and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to analyze, in healthy children, the relation between children's alexithymia and their parents' alexithymia, the relation between children's alexithymia and children's quality of life, as well as to understand whether this relation is mediated by parents' alexithymia. Method. Alexithymia and quality of life questionnaires were administered to children aged 8- 12, and Alexithymia questionnaires were administered to their parents, father or mather who was the main care-takers. Correlational study. Means and standard deviations of the all variables were described. Pearson’ correlations, t-tests, multiple linear regressions and mediation analysis using ordinary least squares multiple regression and Sobel test were employed. Results. Results indicated a significant relation between Alexithymia dimensions for children and parents (except for the externally oriented thinking dimension). Children’s difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings predict all their quality of life dimensions (except for physical well-being). Results further indicated that this relation was partially mediated by parent’s difficulty describing feelings for some of the children’s quality of life dimensions. Conclusion. These findings have important practical implications regarding the planning of educational school programs for children. Specifically, within an educational system according to competences, identification and emotional expression strategies should be incorporated for the enhancement of quality of life in children and the prevention of alexithymia and somatization problems in adults.

Références bibliographiques

  • Allen, L. B., Lu, Q., Tsao, J. C. I., Hayes, L. P., & Zeltzer, L. K. (2011). Depression partially mediates the relationship between alexithymia and somatization in a sample of healthy children. Journal of Health Psychology, 16(8), 1177-1186. DOI: 10.1177/1359105311402407
  • Aymerich, M., Berra, S., Guillamón, I., Herdman, M., Alonso, J., Ravens-Sieberer, U., & Rajmil, L. (2005). Desarrollo de la versión en español del KIDSCREEN, un cuestionario de calidad de vida para la población infantil y adolescente. [Development KIDSCREEN Spanish version, a questionnaire of quality of life for children and adolescents]. Gaceta Sanitaria, 19, 93-102. DOI: 10.1157/13074363
  • Aust, S., Hartwig, E. A., Heuser, I., & Bajbouj, M. (2013). The role of early emotional neglect in alexithymia. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5(3), 225-232. DOI: 10.1037/a0027314
  • Bagby, R., Parker, J., & Taylor, G. (1994). The twenty-item toronto Alexithymia Scale: I. item selection and cross-validation of the factor structure. . J Psychosom Res, 38, 23– 32. DOI: 10.1016/0022-3999(94)90005-1
  • Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173-1182.
  • Dal Zotto, L., Toldo, I., Sartori, S., Battistella, P. A. (2011). Alexithymia in juvenile primary headache sufferers: A pilot study. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 12, 71-80. DOI: 10.1007/s10194-010-0248-6
  • De Gucht, V., & Heiser, W. (2003). Alexithymia and somatisation: A quantitative review of the literature. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 54(5), 425-434. DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3999(02)00467-1
  • De Rick, A., & Vanheule, S. (2006). The relationship between perceived parenting, adult attachment style and alexithymia in alcoholic inpatients. Addictive Behaviors, 31(7), 1265-1270. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.08.010
  • Dial Ward, M. D. (2002). Parental affective expressiveness and patterns of alexithymia in men and women. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 62 (11-B), 5369.
  • Evren, C., Evren, B., Dalbudak, E., Ozcelik, B., & Oncu, F. (2009). Childhood abuse and neglect as a risk factor for alexithymia in adult male substance dependent inpatients. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 41(1), 85-92. DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2009.10400677
  • Gil, F. P., Scheidt, C. E., Hoeger, D., & Nickel, M. (2008). Relationship between attachment style, parental bonding and alexithymia in adults with somatoform disorders. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 38(4), 437-451. DOI: 10.2190/PM.38.4.d
  • Grabe, H.J., Spitzer, C., & Freyberger, H.J. (2004). Alexithymia and Personality in Relation to Dimensions of Psychopathology. Am J Psychiatry, 161,1299-1301. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.7.1299
  • Guttman, H., & Laporte, L. (2002). Alexithymia, empathy, and psychological symptoms in a family context. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 43(6), 448-455. DOI: 10.1053/comp.2002.35905
  • Holmbeck, G. N. (1997). Toward terminological, conceptual, and statistical clarity in the study of mediators and moderators: Examples from the child-clinical and pediatric psychology literatures. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 599-610. DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.65.4.599
  • Hosseinzadeh, A. A., Hooman, H. A., Salehi, M., & Kooshki, S. (2013). Maternal bonding and vulnerability related to eating: The mediational role of eating disorder beliefs and alexithymia. Journal of Iranian Psychologists, 9(34), 129-142.
  • Jellesma, F. C., Rieffe, C., Terwogt, M. M., & Westenberg, M. (2009). Do I feel sadness, fear or both? comparing self-reported alexithymia and emotional task-performance in children with many or few somatic complaints. Psychology & Health, 24(8), 881-893. DOI: 10.1080/08870440801998970
  • Joukamaa, M., Kokkonen, P., Veijola, J., Laksy, K., Karvonen, J. T., Jokelainen, J., & Jarvelin, M. (2003). Social situation of expectant mothers and alexithymia 31 years later in their offspring: A prospective study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65(2), 307-312. DOI: 10.1097/01.PSY.0000030389.53353
  • Joukamaa, M., Luutonen, S., Von Reventlow, H., Patterson, P., Karlsson, H., & Salokangas, R. K. R. (2008). Alexithymia and childhood abuse among patients attending primary and psychiatric care: Results of the RADEP study. Psychosomatics: Journal of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, 49(4), 317-325. DOI: 10.1176/appi.psy.49.4.317
  • Joukamaa, M., Taanila, A., Miettunen, J., Karvonen, J. T., Koskinen, M., & Veijola, J. (2007). Epidemiology of alexithymia among adolescents. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 63(4), 373-376. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.01.018
  • Keskin, G., & Bilge, A. (2009). The evaluation of depression, social anxiety, alexithymia on children and adolescent with chronic renal failure. Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi, 10(4), 318-324.
  • Loas, G., Dugré-Lebigre, C., Fremaux, D., Verrier, A., Wallier, J., Berthoz, S., Corcos, M. (2010). The Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children (AQC): French translation and validation study in a convenience sample of 80 children. L´Encéphale, 26, 302-306. DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2009.06.009
  • Loas, G., Speranza, M., PhamScottez, A., Perez Diaz, F., & Corcos, M. (2012). Alexithymia in adolescents with borderline personality disorder. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 72(2), 147-152. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2011.11.006
  • Luminet, O., & Lenoir, V. (2006). Parents' alexithymia and their 3-5 years-old children's emotional abilities. Enfance, 58(4), 335-356.
  • Mahler, J., Barnow, S., Freyberger, H. J., Spitzer, C., & Grabe, H. J. (2009). Familial transmission of alexithymia. PDP Psychodynamische Psychotherapie: Forum Der Tiefenpsychologisch Fundierten Psychotherapie, 8(1), 3-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.01.140
  • Mattila, A.K., Salminen, J.K., Nummi, T., Joukamaa, M. (2006).Age is strongly associated with alexithymia in the general population. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 61(5),629-35. DOI:
  • 1016/j.jpsychores.2006.04.013
  • Mishra, V. S., Maudgal, S., Theunissen, S. C. P. M., & Rieffe, C. (2012). Alexithymia in children with cancer and their siblings. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 72(4), 266-268. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2011.12.007
  • Moriguchi, Y., Maeda, M., Igarashi, T., Ishikawa, T., Shoji, M., Kubo, C., Komaki, G. (2007). Age and gender effect on alexithymia in large, Japanese community and clinical samples: a crossvalidation study of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations BioPsychoSocial Medicine.1,7. DOI: 10.1186/1751-0759-1-7
  • Nasiri, H., Latifian, M., & Rieffe, C. (2009). Alexithymia and its relationship with physical complaints and emotional competency in children and adolescents. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 15(3), 248-257. DOI: 10.1186/s10194-016-0640-y
  • Páez, D., Velasco, C. & Gonzalez, J. L. (1999). Expressive writing and the role of alexythimia as a dispositional deficit in self-disclosure and psychological health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 630–641. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.77.3.630
  • Preacher, K. J., Rucker, D. D., & Hayes, A. F. (2007). Addressing moderated mediation hypotheses: Theory, methods, and prescriptions. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 42, 185-227. DOI: 10.1080/00273170701341316
  • Pedrosa, F., Weigl, M., Wessels, T., Irnich, D., Baumuller, E., & Winkelmann, A. (2008). Parental bonding and alexithymia in adults with fibromyalgia. Psychosomatics: Journal of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, 49(2), 115-122. DOI: 10.1176/appi.psy.49.2.115
  • Ravens-Sieberer, U., Gosch, A., Rajmil, L., Erhart, M., Bruil, J., Duer, W., Auquier, P., Power, M., Abel, T., Czemy, L., Mazur, J., Czimbalmos, A., Tountas, Y., Hagquist, C., Kilroe, J. and the European KIDSCREEN Group. (2005). KIDSCREEN-52 quality-of-life measure for children and adolescents. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research, 5, 353 364. DOI: 10.1586/14737167.5.3.353
  • Rieffe, C., Oosterveld, P., Meerum Terwogt, M. (2006). An alexithymia questionnaire for children: Factorial and concurrent validation results. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 123–133. DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2005.05.013
  • Rieffe, C., Oosterveld, P., Meerum Terwogt, M., Novin, S., Nasiri, H., & Latifian, M. (2010). Relationship between alexithymia, mood and internalizing symptoms in children and young adolescents: Evidence from an iranian sample. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(4), 425-430. DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2009.11.010
  • Sifneos, P.E. (1973). The prevalence of alexithymic characteristics in psychosomatic patients. Psychother Psychosom, 22, 255–62. DOI: 10.1159/000286529
  • Spitzer, C., Busche, W., Vogel, M., Barnow, S., Freyberger, H. J., & Grabe, H. J. (2009). Parenting, childhood maltreatment and alexithymia. PDP Psychodynamische Psychotherapie: Forum Der Tiefenpsychologisch Fundierten Psychotherapie, 8(1), 13-22.
  • Sobel, M. E. (1982). Asymptotic confidence intervals for indirect effects in structural equation models. In S. Leinhardt (Ed.), Sociological methodology 1982 (pp. 290-312). Washington DC: American Sociological Association. DOI: 10.2307/270723
  • Szatmari, P., Georgiades, S., Duku, E., Zwaigenbaum, L., Goldberg, J., & Bennett, T. (2008). Alexithymia in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(10), 1859-1865. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0576-4
  • Taylor, G.J., & Bagdy, R.M. (2004). New Trends in Alexithymia. Research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 73, 68–77. DOI: 10.1159/000075537
  • Thorberg, F. A., Young, R. M., Sullivan, K. A., & Lyvers, M. (2011). Parental bonding and alexithymia: A meta-analysis. European Psychiatry, 26(3), 187-193. DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2010.09.010
  • Van de Putte, Elise M, Engelbert, R. H. H., Kuis, W., Kimpen, J. L. L., & Uiterwaal, C. S. P. M. (2007). Alexithymia in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 63(4), 377-380. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.07.009
La source de données: Dialnet