Relationship of Alexithymia to Adult Attachment Styles and Self-Esteem among College Students

Author(s): Masoumeh Mousavi, Ramin Alavinezhad

This research investigated the relationship between alexithymia, adult attachment styles and self-esteem. To this end, an available sample of 240 (120 male & 120 female) college students voluntarily completed alexithymia scale (TAS), collins and reeds revised adult attachment scale (RAAS), and Coopersmiths self-esteem questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis and t-test. The findings indicated negative meaningful correlations between closeness attachment style with difficulty in describing feelings and external –oriented thinking components of alexithymia and with the alexithymia total score. Also, there were positive meaningful correlations between anxious attachment style with difficulty in identifying feelings and external –oriented thinking and with the alexithymia total score. Self-esteem was negatively correlated with anxious and positively with closeness attachment styles. And, there were negative meaningful correlations between both difficulty in identifying and describing feelings and the alexithymia total score and with self-esteem. Furthermore, regression analysis showed that closeness and anxious attachment styles and self-esteem were predictive of alexithymia. Finally, no significant difference was observed between males and females on alexithymia.