Childhood Trauma Subtypes and Alexithymia

Year 2026, Volume: 18 Issue: 1, 282 - 294, 31.03.2026

Buse Ateşsönmez , Fatma Kandemir

https://doi.org/10.18863/pgy.1627449

Abstract

It is well established that traumatic experiences during early childhood play a significant role in the development of alexithymia, a condition characterized by a lack of words for emotions. Although alexithymia was initially proposed to explain the symptoms observed in psychosomatic patients, contemporary studies have revealed its comorbidity with various forms of psychopathology. Adverse childhood experiences—such as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and neglect—are known to have long-term effects on individuals' emotional awareness and regulation capacities. Recent research suggests a strong association between childhood trauma and alexithymia, which is marked by notable difficulties in identifying, understanding, and expressing emotions. Findings in the literature indicate that especially emotional neglect and abuse may exacerbate alexithymic symptoms, potentially leading to lasting impacts on individuals' mental health. Furthermore, early traumatic experiences are believed to shape attachment styles and adversely affect the development of emotion regulation strategies. Insecure attachment patterns and trauma-induced avoidant coping mechanisms may hinder individuals’ ability to consciously process emotional experiences, thereby contributing to the manifestation of alexithymic symptoms. Considering the detrimental impact of childhood trauma on the ability to recognize, interpret, and articulate emotions, it would be beneficial for mental health professionals to focus on potential childhood traumatic experiences in individuals presenting with alexithymia. In this context, this review addresses the concept of alexithymia, its etiology, and its association with childhood trauma and its subtypes.

Keywords

childhood traumas , alexithymia , emotion regulation

Çocukluk Çağı Travmalarının Alt Tipleri ve Aleksitimi

Abstract

“Duygular için söz yokluğu” anlamına gelen aleksitiminin gelişiminde erken çocuklukta yaşanan travmatik deneyimlerin önemli bir role sahip olduğu bilinmektedir. Aleksitimi, başlangıçta psikosomatik hastalardaki belirtileri açıklamak amacıyla ortaya atılmışsa da güncel çalışmalar aleksitiminin birçok psikopatolojiye eşlik ettiğini ortaya koymuştur. Çocukluk döneminde yaşanan fiziksel, duygusal veya cinsel istismar ile ihmal gibi olumsuz yaşantıların, bireylerin duygusal farkındalık ve düzenleme kapasitesi üzerinde uzun vadeli etkiler yarattığı bilinmektedir. Son yıllarda yapılan araştırmalar, çocukluk çağı travmalarının, bireyin duygularını tanımlama, anlama ve ifade etme becerilerinde belirgin eksiklikler ile karakterize edilen aleksitimi ile yakından ilişkili olabileceğini ortaya koymaktadır. Alanyazındaki bulgular, özellikle duygusal ihmal ve istismarın, aleksitimi semptomlarının şiddetini artırabileceğini ve bu durumun bireylerin ruh sağlığı üzerinde kalıcı etkiler yaratabileceğini ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca, erken dönem travmalarının bireyin bağlanma stillerini şekillendirdiği ve duygu düzenleme stratejilerinin gelişimini olumsuz yönde etkilediği görülmektedir. Güvensiz bağlanma örüntüleri ve travmaya bağlı gelişen kaçınmacı başa çıkma mekanizmalarının, bireylerin duygusal deneyimlerini bilinçli olarak işlemelerini zorlaştırarak aleksitimi semptomlarının ortaya çıkmasına katkıda bulunabileceği düşünülmektedir. Çocukluk çağı travmalarının, bireylerin duygularını tanıma, anlamlandırma ve ifade etme becerileri üzerinde olumsuz etkiye sahip olduğu düşünüldüğünde ruh sağlığı çalışanlarının, aleksitimik bireylerin muhtemel çocukluk çağı travmalarına odaklanmalarının faydalı olacağı düşünülmektedir. Bu bağlamda, bu derleme çalışmasında çocukluk çağı travma ve alt tiplerine, aleksitimi kavramına, etiyolojisine ve aleksitiminin çocukluk çağı travmalarıyla ilişkisine değinilmiştir.

Keywords

duygu düzenleme , çocukluk çağı travmaları , aleksitimi

Ethical Statement

Değerlendirmek üzere derginize göndermiş bulunduğumuz "Çocukluk Çağı Travmalarının Alt Boyutları ve Aleksitimi" başlıklı makale bir derleme makalesi olduğu için etik kurul onayına gerek duyulmamaktadır.

References

• Aktepe E. (2009) Çocukluk çağı cinsel istismarı. Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar, 1:95-119.
• Aust S, Hartwig EA, Heuser I, Bajbouj M (2013) The role of early emotional neglect in alexithymia. Psychol Trauma, 5:225-232.
• Avcı UK, Çakmak S (2024) Panik bozuklukta çocukluk çağı travmaları ile disosiyatif belirtiler arasındaki ilişkide aleksitiminin aracı rolü. Ayna Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi, 11:347-372.
• Bankier B, Aigner M, Bach M (2001) Alexithymia in DSM-IV disorder: comparative evaluation of somatoform disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. Psychosomatics, 42:235-240.
• Baskak İ (2023) Çocuğa yönelik duygusal istismar. Uluslararası Sosyal Hizmet Araştırmaları Dergisi, 3:61-72.
• Bell KM, Naugle AE (2008) The role of emotion recognition skills in adult sexual revictimization. The Journal of Behavior Analysis of Offender and Victim Treatment and Prevention, 1:93-118.
• Berenbaum H (1996) Childhood abuse, alexithymia and personality disorder. J Psychosom Res, 41:585-595.
• Bermond B, Moormann PP, Albach F, van Dijke A (2008) Impact of severe childhood sexual abuse on the development of alexithymia in adulthood. Psychother Psychosom, 77:260-262.
• Bernstein DP, Stein JA, Newcomb MD, Walker E, Pogge D, Ahluvalia T et al. (2003) Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl, 27:169-190.
• Bonasera BJ (2024) Childhood trauma and emotion regulation: The roles of alexithymia and experiential avoidance in emerging adults (Doctoral dissertation). Hempstead, NY, Hofstra University.
• Bowlby J (1958) The nature of the child’s tie to his mother. Int J Psychoanal, 39:350–373.
• Brown S, Fite PJ, Stone K, Bortolato M (2016) Accounting for the associations between child maltreatment and internalizing problems: The role of alexithymia. Child Abuse Negl, 52:20-28.
• Brown S, Fite PJ, Stone K, Richey A, Bortolato M (2018) Associations between emotional abuse and neglect and dimensions of alexithymia: The moderating role of sex. Psychol Trauma, 10:300-308.
• Busso DS, McLaughlin KA, Brueck S, Peverill M, Gold AL, Sheridan MA (2017) Child abuse, neural structure, and adolescent psychopathology: a longitudinal study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 56:321-328.
• Butchart A (2006) Preventing Child Maltreatment: A Guide to Taking Action and Generating Evidence. Geneva, World Health Organization.
• Büyükcebeci A (2019) Çocukluk çağı örselenme yaşantılarının yaratıcı kişilik özellikleri ve aleksitimi ile ilişkisi. Manas Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 8:3187-3213.
• Camras LA, Ribordy S, Hill J, Martino S, Spaccarelli S, Stefani R (1988) Recognition and posing of emotional expressions by abused children and their mothers. Dev Psychol, 24:776-781.
• Chaiyapruk N (2023) The impact of childhood trauma on mental health outcomes in adulthood: a review of the literature. Arch Clin Psychiatry, 50:104-110.
• Chung MC, Chen ZS (2021) The interrelationship between child abuse, emotional processing difficulties, alexithymia and psychological symptoms among Chinese adolescents. J Trauma Dissociation, 22:107-121.
• Cicchetti D, Toth SL (2005) Child maltreatment. Annu Rev Clin Psychol, 1:409-438.
• Cloitre M, Stolbach BC, Herman JL, Kolk B, Pynoos, R, Wang et al. (2009) A developmental approach to complex PTSD: Childhood and adult cumulative trauma as predictors of symptom complexity. J Trauma Stress, 22:399-408.
• De Vente W, Kamphuis JH, Emmelkamp PMG (2006) Alexithymia, risk factor or consequence of work-related stress? Psychother Psychosom, 75:304-311.
• Ditzer J, Wong EY, Modi RN, Behnke M, Gross JJ, Talmon A (2023) Child maltreatment and alexithymia: A meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull, 149:311-329.
• Eugenia B, Marco C, Niccolò M, Rosaria B, Eleonora A, Luigi M et al. (2024) Impact of emotional abuse on eating disorder psychopathology: A multiple mediation analysis. Compr Psychiatry, 134:152515.
• Evren C, Evren B, Dalbudak E, Ozcelik B, Oncu F (2009) Child abuse and neglect as a risk factor for alexithymia in adult male substance dependent inpatients. J Psychoactive Drugs, 41:85-92.
• Frewen PA, Lanius RA, Dozois DJA, Neufeld RWJ, Pain C, Hopper JW et al. (2008) Clinical and neural correlates of alexithymia in posttraumatic stress disorder. J Abnorm Psychol, 117:171-181.
• Garaigordobil M (2013) Sexism and alexithymia: Correlations and differences as a function of gender, age, and educational level. Anales de Psicología, 29:368-377.
• Gilbert R, Widom CS, Browne K, Fergusson D, Webb E, Janson S (2009) Burden and consequences of child maltreatment in high-income countries. Lancet, 373:68-81.
• Grabe HJ, Frommer J, Ankerhold A, Ulrich C, Gröger R, Franke GH et al. (2008) Alexithymia and outcome in psychotherapy. Psychother Psychosom, 77:189-194.
• Gracia E (1995) Visible but unreported: A case for the “not serious enough” cases of child maltreatment. Child Abuse Negl, 19:1083-93.
• Gratz KL, Tull MT (2010) Emotion regulation as a mechanism of change in acceptance-and mindfulness-based treatments. In Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Clients: Illuminating the Theory and Practice of Change (Ed RA Baer):107-133. Oakland, CA, New Harbinger.
• Greenberg LS (2004) Emotion-focused therapy. Clin Psychol Psychother, 11:3-16.
• Güleç MY, Altintaş M, İnanç L, Bezgin ÇH, Koca EK, Güleç H (2013) Effects of childhood trauma on somatization in major depressive disorder: The role of alexithymia. J Affect Disord, 146:137-141.
• Harris TB, Sargent AJ (2009) Mental health issues: Child physical abuse and neglect. In A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and Neglect (Eds AP Giardino, MA Lyn, ER Giardino):477-497. Cham, Springer.
• Hermann J (2007) Travma ve İyileşme. Şiddetin Sonuçları Ev İçi İstismardan Siyasi Teröre (Çev: T. Tosun). İstanbul, Literatür Yayınları.
• Honkalampi K, Flink N, Lehto SM, Ruusunen A, Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Valkonen-Korhonen M et al. (2020) Adverse childhood experiences and alexithymia in patients with major depressive disorder. Nord J Psychiatry, 74:45-50.
• Kempe CH, Silverman H, Steele B, Droegemueller W, Silver H (1962) The battered child syndrome. JAMA, 181:17-24.
• Khan AN, Jaffee SR (2022) Alexithymia in individuals maltreated as children and adolescents: a meta‐analysis. J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 63:963-972.
• Kick L, Schleicher D, Ecker A, Kandsperger S, Brunner R, Jarvers I (2024) Alexithymia as a mediator between adverse childhood events and the development of psychopathology: a meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry, 15:1412229.
• Kirmayer LJ (1987) Languages of suffering healing: Alexithymia as a social and cultural process. Transcult Psychiatry, 24:119-136.
• Koçak R (2002) Aleksitimi: Kuramsal çerçeve tedavi yaklaşımları ve ilgili araştırmalar. Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 35:183-212.
• Kooiman CG, van Rees Vellinga S, Spinhoven P, Draijer N, Trijsburg RW, Rooijmans HG (2004) Childhood adversities as risk factors for alexithymia and other aspects of affect dysregulation in adulthood. Psychother Psychosom, 73:107-116.
• Krvavac S, Jansson B (2021) The role of emotion dysregulation and alexithymia in the link between types of child abuse and neglect and psychopathology: A moderated mediation model. Eur J Trauma Dissociation, 5:100213.
• Krystal H (1988) Integration and Self-Healing: Affect, Trauma, Alexithymia. London, UK, Routledge.
• Krystal HJ (1979) Alexithymia and psychotherapy. Am J Psychother, 33:17-31.
• Lesser IM (1981) A review of the alexithymia concept. Psychosom Med, 43:531-543.
• Leweke F, Leichsenring F, Kruse J, Hermes S (2011) Is alexithymia associated with specific mental disorders?. Psychopathology, 45:22-28.
• Li M, D’Arcy C, Meng X (2016) Maltreatment in childhood substantially increases the risk of adult depression and anxiety in prospective cohort studies: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and proportional attributable fractions. Psychol Med, 46:717-730.
• Ling Y, Zhong MT, Yi JY, Yang J, Yao SQ (2012) Moderating role of alexithymia in adolescents’ stress and depressive symptoms. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20:168–171.
• Lumley MA, Neely LC, Burger AJ (2007) The assessment of alexithymia in medical settings: Implications for understanding and treating health problems. J Pers Assess, 89:230-246.
• Malinosky-Rummell R, Hansen DJ (1993) Long-term consequences of childhood physical abuse. Psychol Bull, 114:68-79.
• Marusak HA, Martin KR, Etkin A, Thomason ME (2015) Childhood trauma exposure disrupts the automatic regulation of emotional processing. Neuropsychopharmacology, 40:1250-8.
• Matsumoto D (2006) Are cultural differences in emotion regulation mediated by personality traits?. J Cross Cult Psychol, 37:421-437.
• Mattila AK, Salminen JK, Nummi T, Joukamaa M (2006) Age is strongly associated with alexithymia in the general population. J Psychosom Res, 61:629-635.
• McDougall J (1982) Alexithymia: A psychoanalytic viewpoint. Psychother Psychosom, 38:81-90.
• Mennen FE, Kim K, Sang J, Trickett PK (2010) Child neglect: Definition and identification of youth’s experiences in official reports of maltreatment. Child Abuse Negl, 34:647–658.
• Messina A, Beadle JN, Paradiso S (2014) Towards a classification of alexithymia: primary, secondary and organic. J Psychopathol, 20:38-49.
• Monteleone AM, Cascino G, Pellegrino F, Ruzzi V, Patriciello G, Marone L et al. (2019) The association between childhood maltreatment and eating disorder psychopathology: A mixed-model investigation. Eur Psychiatry, 61:111-118.
• Özgentürk İ (2014) Child abuse and neglect Çocuk istismarı ve ihmal. International Journal of Human Sciences, 11:265-278.
• Paivio SC, McCulloch CR (2004) Alexithymia as a mediator between childhood trauma and self-injurious behaviors. Child Abuse Negl, 28:339-354.
• Paslı F (2020) Çocuğa yönelik cinsel istismar. Sosyal Politika ve Sosyal Hizmet Çalışmaları Dergisi, 1:60-72.
• Preece DA, Mehta A, Becerra R, Chen W, Allan A, Robinson K et al. (2022) Why is alexithymia a risk factor for affective disorder symptoms? The role of emotion regulation. J Affect Disord, 296:337-341.
• Revels-Strother O, Quaschnick M, Miller T, King A (2024) Childhood illnesses as risk indicators of adult mental health symptomatology. Health Psychol Rep, 13:133-144.
• Runyan D, Wattam C, Ikeda R, Hassan F, Ramiro L (2002) Child abuse and neglect by parents and other caregivers. In World Report on Violence and Health (Eds EG Krug, LL Dahlberg, JA Mercy, AB Zwi, R Lozano):59-86. Geneva, World Health Organization Geneva, World Health Organization.
• Ryder AG, Sunohara M, Dere J, Chentsova-Dutton Y (2018) The cultural shaping of alexithymia. In Alexithymia: Advances in Research, Theory, and Clinical Practice (Eds O Luminet, RM Bagby, GJ Taylor):33-48. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
• Schimmenti A, Caretti V (2016) Linking the overwhelming with the unbearable: developmental trauma, dissociation, and the disconnected self. Psychoanal Psychol, 33:106-128.
• Scimeca G, Ardito M, D'Avenia R (2024) Adverse childhood experiences and dissociation among Italian public psychology service users. Eur J Trauma Dissociation, 8:100476.
• Shipman KL, Schneider R, Fitzgerald MM, Sims C, Swisher L, Edwards A (2007) Maternal emotion socialization in maltreating and non‐maltreating families: Implications for children's emotion regulation. Soc Dev, 16:268-285.
• Sifneos PE (1988) Alexithymia and its relationship to hemispheric specialization affect and creativity, Psychiatr Clin North Am, 11:287-293.
• Stack DM, Serbin LA, Enns LN, Ruttle PL, Barrieau L (2010) Parental effects on children's emotional development over time and across generations. Infants Young Child, 23:52-69.
• Stoudemire A (1991) Somatothymia: parts I and II. Psychosomatics, 32:365-381.
• Şar V, Öztürk PE, İkikardeş E (2012) Çocukluk çağı ruhsal travma ölçeğinin Türkçe uyarlamasının geçerlilik ve güvenilirliği. Türkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences, 32:1054-1063.
• Şaşıoğlu M, Gülol Ç, Tosun A (2014) Aleksitimi: tedavi girişimleri. Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar, 6:22-31.
• Şenkal İ, Işıklı S (2015) Çocukluk çağı travmalarının ve bağlanma biçiminin depresyon belirtileri ile ilişkisi: Aleksitiminin aracı rolü. Turk Psikiyatri Derg, 26:261-67.
• Taylor GJ, Bagby RM (2004) New trends in alexithymia research. Psychother Psychosom, 73:68-77.
• Taylor GJ, Bagby RM (2012) The alexithymia personality dimension. In The Oxford Handbook of Personality Disorders (Eds TA Widiger, GJ Taylor, RM Bagby):648-673. New York, Oxford University Press.
• Taylor GJ, Bagby RM, Parker JD (2003) The 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale: IV. Reliability and factorial validity in different languages and cultures. J Psychosom Res, 55:277-283.
• Thorberg FA, Young RM, Sullivan KA, Lyvers M (2009) Alexithymia and alcohol use disorders: A critical review. Addict Behav, 34:237–245.
• Türkçapar MH, Sargın AE (2012) Bilişsel davranışçı psikoterapiler: tarihçe ve gelişim. Bilişsel Davranışçı Psikoterapi ve Araştırmalar Dergisi, 1:7-14.
• Van der Kolk BA (2019) Beden Kayıt Tutar Travmanın İyileşmesinde Beyin, Zihin ve Beden. (N. Cihanşümül Maral, Çev.). Ankara, Nobel Yayınevi.
• Watters CA, Taylor GJ, Bagby RM (2016) Illuminating the theoretical components of alexithymia using bifactor modeling and network analysis. Psychol Assess, 28:627–638.
• Wearden A, Cook L, Vaughan-Jones J (2003) Adult attachment, alexithymia, symptom reporting, and health-related coping. J Psychosom Res, 55:341-347.
• WHO (2020) Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020. Geneva, Woırld Health Organization.
• WHO (2024) World Health Organization. Child maltreatment. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/child-maltreatment (Accessed 14.01.2025).
• Wolfe DA (1988) Child abuse and neglect. In Behavioral Assessment of Childhood Disorders (Eds EJ Mash, LG Terdal):637-669. New York, Guilford Press.
• Zdankiewicz-Ścigała E, Ścigała DK (2020) Attachment style, early childhood trauma, alexithymia, and dissociation among persons addicted to alcohol: Structural equation model of dependencies. Front Psychol, 10:2957.