The Mediating Role of Alexithymia in the Relationship Between Anxiety and Trauma Responses in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 35 Sayı: 6, 1227 - 1238, 31.12.2025

Özlem Çiçek Zekey , Halit Necmi Uçar , Merve Kuz Keleş , Fatih Hilmi Çetin , Serhat Türkoğlu

https://doi.org/10.54005/geneltip.1726664

https://izlik.org/JA72EG76YT

Öz

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the anxiety levels, trauma reactions, alexithymia levels and coping strategies of adolescents previously diagnosed with an anxiety disorder (AD) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Trauma reactions were assessed using the Children’s Impact of Event Scale(Cries-13) and childhood anxiety disorders were identified using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders(Scared). Alexithymia levels were assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (Tas-20). According to this scale, the sample was classified as alexithymic group if the total score was ≥52 and as non-alexithymic group if the total score was ≤ 51. Adolescents’ coping strategies were assessed using the Turkish version of the Kidcope (Kidcope-T).
Results: The alexithymic group scored higher than the non-alexithymic group on the Cries-13, Scared, Kidcope avoidant coping and Kidcope negative coping subscales. Tas-20 scores were associated with Scared and Cries-13 scores, as well as with Kidcope scores, in adolescents diagnosed with AD. Mediation analysis revealed that alexithymia fully mediated the relationship between the Cries-13 and Scared scores.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that alexithymia is associated with anxiety and trauma responses, and that it may play a mediating role in the development of psychopathologies. The findings suggest that interventions targeting alexithymia and maladaptive coping behaviors could help to reduce the negative psychological effects of the pandemic. In clinical practice, assessing alexithymia could inform treatment approaches.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Alexithymia , Anxiety , COVID-19 , Pandemic , Trauma

COVID-19 Pandemisinde Anksiyete Bozukluğu Olan Ergenlerde Aleksitiminin Aracı Rolü

https://izlik.org/JA72EG76YT

Öz

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında daha önce anksiyete bozukluğu (AB) tanısı almış ergenlerin anksiyete düzeylerinin, travma tepkilerinin, aleksitimi düzeylerinin ve baş etme stratejilerinin değerlendirilmesi araştırılması amaçlanmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Travma tepkileri, Çocuk Olayın Etkisi Ölçeği (Cries-13) kullanılarak değerlendirilmiş, çocukluk çağı anksiyete bozuklukları ise Çocuklarda Anksiyete İle İlgili Duygusal Bozukluklar Taraması (Scared) kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Aleksitimi düzeyleri Toronto Aleksitimi Ölçeği-20 (Tas-20) kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Bu ölçeğe göre, toplam puan ≥52 ise örneklem aleksitimik grup, toplam puan ≤51 ise aleksitimik olmayan grup olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Ergenlerin başa çıkma stratejileri Kidcope’un Türkçe versiyonu (Kidcope-T) kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir.
Bulgular: Aleksitimik grup Cries-13, Scared, Kidcope kaçıngan başa çıkma ve Kidcope olumsuz başa çıkma alt gruplarında aleksitimik olmayan gruba göre daha yüksek puan aldı. Ab tanılı ergenlerde Tas-20 puanları Scared puanları, Cries-13ve Kidcope puanları ile ilişkili bulunmuş, mediasyon analizi sonuçları aleksitiminin Cries-13 ve Scared puanları arasında tam mediatör role sahip olduğunu göstermiştir.
Sonuç: Bu çalışma, pandemi sürecinde AB tanılı olan ergenlerde aleksitiminin, anksiyete düzeyleri ve travma tepkileriyle ilişkili olduğunu ve aleksitiminin anksiyete düzeyleri ile travma tepkileri arasındaki ilişkide aracı bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Aleksitimi , Anksiyete , COVID-19 , Pandemi , Travma

Kaynakça

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