Mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between parental disapproval of the child and alexithymic personality.

Abstract

Background: Alexithymia is defined as difficulties in identifying, expressing, and understanding emotions. An unapproving environment during childhood is defined as the child not receiving emotional approval from their parents, being punished, or having their emotions devalued. The formation of self-esteem is shaped by the influence of parental behavior during childhood. The communication that the child establishes with their parents contributes to their increased self-esteem and sense of importance. The absence of this may play a role in developmental psychopathology.

Aim: To examine the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between a disapproving environment in childhood and alexithymia.

Methods: The research in the relational screening model was conducted with 404 participants. Demographic Information Form, Disapproving Environment Scale in Childhood, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were used as data collection tools. Hayes' bootstrapping technique was used in the analysis of the data obtained from the research.

Results: As a result of the analyses, parental disapproval positively predicted the level of alexithymia (r_mother = 0.51, r_father = 0.52, P < 0.05) and negatively predicted self-esteem (r_mother = -0.75, r_father = -0.67, P < 0.05). Additionally, self-esteem negatively predicted alexithymia (r = -0.58, P < 0.05). It was observed that self-esteem had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between parental disapproval and alexithymia. Family types were analyzed separately as chaotic, approving, perfect, and typical. Of these, the chaotic family type positively predicted alexithymia (r = 0.33, P < 0.05) and negatively predicted self-esteem (r = -0.60, P < 0.05). The approving family type negatively predicted alexithymia (r = -0.43, P < 0.05) and positively predicted self-esteem (r = 0.61, P < 0.05). The perfect family type negatively predicted alexithymia (r = -0.27, P < 0.05) and positively predicted self-esteem (r = -0.45, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The type of family in which the child grows up in and parental disapproval during childhood affected the child's self-esteem and caused alexithymic personality traits.