Mediator role of experiential avoidance in relationship of perceived stress and alexithymia with mental health

Abstract

Rôle de médiation de l'évitement expérientiel dans le rapport entre stress perçu, alexithymie et santé mentale RÉSUMÉ La présente étude transversale a examiné le rôle de médiation de l'évitement expérientiel dans le rapport entre le stress perçu, l'alexithymie et la santé mentale. Nous avons inscrit dans cette étude 440 étudiants (âge compris entre 18 et 30 ans) de l'Université des Sciences médicales de Kermanshah par la méthode d'échantillonnage aléatoire stratifié. Les instruments utilisés dans l'étude étaient la liste de contrôle démographique, le questionnaire sur la santé générale en 28 items, l'échelle d'Alexithymie de Toronto à 20 items et l'échelle de mesure du stress perçu. Les données ont été analysées au moyen des logiciels SPSS-18 et AMOS-18 en recourant à la corrélation de Pearson, l'analyse de régression hiérarchique et la modélisation par équation structurelle. Il y avait une corrélation positive significative entre le stress perçu et l'évitement expérientiel, et l'alexithymie et les problèmes de santé mentale (p<0,001). La modélisation par équation structurelle a montré que la relation entre le stress perçu et les ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study investigated the mediatory role of experiential avoidance in the relationship between perceived stress and alexithymia with mental health. We enrolled 440 students (age 18-30 years) at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences through stratified random sampling method. The study tools were demographic checklist, GHQ-28, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 and Perceived Stress Scale. Data were analysed by SPSS-18 and AMOS-18 using Pearson correlation, hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM). There was a significant positive correlation between perceived stress and experiential avoidance, and alexithymia and mental health problems (P < 0.001). SEM showed that the relationship between perceived stress and mental health problems by experiential avoidance was 0.19 [(β = 0.19; standard error (SE) = 0.09; P = 0.001], and the relationship between alexithymia and mental health problems through experiential avoidance was 0.09 (β = 0.09; SE = 0.43; P = 0.01). The mediatory role of experiential avoidance was confirmed in such a way that the effects of alexithymia and perceived stress decreased.

A Simultaneous Cluster Analysis of Cognitive, Emotional, and Personality Factors and Insomnia and Sleep Quality Among Earthquake Victims

“…Previously, in a study, the role of mediating variables such as experiential avoidance in the relationship between stress and mental health problems has been confirmed. 34…”

The Comparison of Emotional Dysregulation and Experiential Avoidance in Patients with Insomnia and Non-Clinical Population

“…The experiential avoidance can be a risk factor for a range of mental disorders, such as depression, somatic disorders, anxiety, and insomnia. 14 Experiential avoidance means avoiding unwanted or undesirable thoughts/ feelings. In other words, experiential avoidance means not being willing to accept inner feelings and thoughts.…”

“…In other words, experiential avoidance means not being willing to accept inner feelings and thoughts. 14 In a study done by Smith, it was concluded that experiential avoidance led to psychological damages, including substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, borderline personality disorder, and post-traumatic stress. 15 In addition, research shows that emotional disorders and sleep disorders are related.…”

The impact of pandemic-related stress on attentional bias and anxiety in alexithymia during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…According to the accounts of experiential avoidance, alexithymia is being considered as a learned tendency to use maladaptive coping to deal with severe stress 98,99 . It is proposed that this tendency in alexithymics may relate to an unwillingness to tolerate aversive sensations, emotions, thoughts, and memories by altering the form or frequency with which they confront these unwanted experiences 32,100 . Additionally, this learned tendency is reinforced and maintained by giving immediate relief and down-regulating distress for threatening situations 32,101,102 , however, it is ultimately associated with the accumulation and intensi cation of unwanted emotions 103 .…”

“…Alexithymia is a multi-faceted personality trait involving di culty in identifying and expressing feelings, and an externally oriented thinking style; 28,29 it has been associated with stress-related disorders, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and depression [30][31][32] . According to the stressalexithymia hypothesis, the inability of emotional awareness in alexithymics may lead to maladaptive responses when encountering with stressors, in turn increasing susceptibility to mental problems 33 .…”