The mediating role of alexithymia between emotional neglect and emotional abuse and disordered eating attitudes

In this study, the relationship between emotional neglect and emotional abuse and disordered eating attitudes and the the mediating role of alexithymia in this relationship were examined. The sample of the study consists of 351 (255 women, 96 men) undergraduate or graduate students over the age of 18 who are studying at any university in Turkey. The sample of the study was formed by the easily accessible sampling method and Demographic Information Form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Eating Attitudes Test-26 and Toronto Alexithymia Scale were applied to the participants. The findings obtained from the study were analyzed with SPSS program. Pearson Correlation Analysis was used to examine the relationship between emotional neglect, emotional abuse, eating attitude and alexithymia variables. Simple Linear Regression Analysis, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis and Sobel Test were used to see the mediating effect of alexithymia. As a result of the analyzes, a positive and significant relationship was found between emotional neglect and emotional abuse, eating attitude and alexithymia. As a result of simple linear regression, multiple linear regression analysis and Sobel Test performed to examine the mediation effect, it was seen that alexithymia had a partial mediator effect on the relationship between emotional neglect and emotional abuse and disordered eating attitudes.