The mediator role of alexithymia on the relationship of childhood traumas with somatization

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate whether or not there is a mediator role of alexithymia on the relationship of childhood traumas and somatization symptoms. Method: The study included 361 individuals aged from 20-49 years old living in the provinces of Istanbul and Bursa. The Sociodemographic Information Form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Symptom CheckList -90 (SCL-90-R) were applied to the person who volunteered to participate in this study. The results were analyzed by the SPSS program and the data were obtained by independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation and mediator analysis. Results: In the findings of the study, a weak positive correlation between somatization and childhood traumas were found. Similarly, a positive correlation was found between childhood trauma and alexithymia. It was concluded that there is a moderate positive relationship between somatization and alexithymia. We found that alexithymia has a partial mediation role in the relationship between childhood trauma and somatization and our hypothesis has been encouraged. When childhood traumas and sociodemographic variables are examined; ıt was determined that the income level of the participants, the marriage status of the parents and the educational status of the father had a significant relationship with childhood traumas. It was observed that childhood trauma levels were higher in parents whose divorced or separated parents, those with low-income levels and education. On the other hand, gender, age, marital status, educational status, loss of mother/father, education level of the mother, place of childhood and adulthood life were not found to be significant. When somatization and sociodemographic variables are examined; somatization has been found to have a significant relationship between gender and father's education level. It was concluded that the somatization values of the women and their fathers are lower than the others.It was observed that there was no significant difference between somatization and other sociodemographic variables. Alexithymia and sociodemographic variables are examined; alexithymia has been found to have a meaningful relationship only with age. With increasing age, alexithymia level decreased. Conclusion: In the study, it was seen that somatization level increased when childhood traumas increased. At the same time, alexithymia levels increase with increasing childhood trauma. In summary, alexithymia has a partial mediator role in the relationship between childhood trauma and somatization.