The predictive role of experiential avoidance and difficulties in emotion regulation skills on psychosomatic symptoms in young adults

Psychosomatic symptoms refer to symptoms that occur without any organic cause and manifest themselves in various ways such as headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, etc., and are attributed to psychological origins. In this study, the predictive role of difficulties in emotion regulation skills and experiential avoidance, two variables that may be associated with the emergence of psychosomatic symptoms, was tested in young adults. A total of 321 undergraduate and graduate students from Beykoz University aged between 18-26 participated in the study. Participants completed the Sociodemographic Data Form, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire, Somatization of Emotional Conflict Scale and 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. While studies in the literature examine with the frequency and severity of psychosomatic symptoms, this study examines the emotions that occur while experiencing psychosomatic symptoms as well as the frequency and severity of these symptoms. The research results indicated that difficulties in emotion regulation predict psychosomatic symptoms, particularly in the sub-dimensions of Openness, Awareness, Impulse, Acceptance, and Strategies. However, experiential avoidance subscales did not predict psychosomatic symptoms. Besides, when alexithymia was added to the model as a control variable, it was observed that the predictive effect of difficulty in emotion regulation on psychosomatic symptoms increased. The findings of the study suggest that focusing on specific difficulties in emotion regulation may be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of psychosomatic symptoms.