The Mediator Role of Alexithymia in Adolescents with Anxiety Disorder in Covid-19 Pandemic

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

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

Öz

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate during the COVID-19 pandemic the anxiety levels, trauma reactions, alexithymia levels and coping strategies of adolescents previously diagnosed with anxiety disorder (Ad).

Materials and 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 on Cries-13, Scared, Kidcope avoidant coping, and Kidcope negative coping than the non-alexithymic group. Tas-20 scores were associated with Scared scores, Cries-13, and Kidcope in adolescents diagnosed with Ad. The results of mediation analysis showed alexithymia to have a complete mediating effect between Cries-13 and Scared scores.

Conclusion: This study revealed that alexithymia in adolescents diagnosed with Ad during the pandemic was associated with anxiety levels and trauma responses, and that alexithymia played a mediating role in the relationship between anxiety levels and trauma responses.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Alexithymia , Anxiety , COVID-19 , Pandemic , Trauma

COVID-19 Pandemisinde Anksiyete Bozukluğu Olan Ergenlerde Aleksitiminin Aracı Rolü

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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