Determination of Alexithymia and Communication Skills Levels of Nursing Students After Restrictions in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Year 2023, , 15 - 22, 20.07.2023

Didem Bilaş Buket Bolat Seda Er , Tülay Demiray

https://doi.org/10.26650/CURARE.2023.1274594

Abstract

Objective: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to determine nursing students’ alexithymia and communication skills levels and affecting factors, and to investigate the relationship between alexithymia level and communication skills after the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of nursing students (N=140) from a private university in Istanbul, Turkey. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Communication Skills Scale (CSS).

Results: It was determined that 90.7% (n=127) of the participants were female, the mean age was 20.63±1.53 and 30.7% (n=43) were senior nursing. 55.0% (n=77) of the participants stated that their interpersonal relations were good after the restrictions. Participants had a mean TAS-20 score of 55.15±9.12 and a CSS score of 102.25±11.29. It was determined that TAS-20 and CSS total and sub-dimension mean scores differed according to sociodemographic characteristics. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between the sub-dimension mean scores of both scales and the level of interpersonal relationships stated by the participants after the restrictions (p<0.05).

Conclusion: It was stated that nursing students had moderate alexithymia and good communication skills. Participants who evaluated their interpersonal communication as bad after the restrictions had more difficulty in recognizing, expressing and communicating their emotions. It is recommended that innovative practices on emotion awareness and communication be integrated into the nursing curriculum, and that evidence-based research be conducted on the subject.

Keywords

Alexithymia, communication skills, nursing student, pandemic

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