Alexithymia, human relationships, and mobile phone use

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Alexithymia is a personality trait defined by difficulties in emotion processing and expression.
• It is associated with interpersonal difficulties and avoidant behaviors.
• Previous research suggests links between alexithymia and interpersonal relationship quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between alexithymia and mobile phone usage in primary care patients.
• To examine whether the perceived quality and quantity of human relationships mediate this association.
• To explore alexithymia's role in digital communication patterns.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 491 primary care patients was assessed.
• Alexithymia was measured using the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale.
• Mobile phone usage, relationship quality, and quantity were evaluated, controlling for sociodemographic factors and psychiatric symptoms.

Main Results:

• Alexithymia was significantly associated with less frequent mobile phone use, even after controlling for confounding variables.
• The mediating role of relationship quantity (fewer relationships, lack of a close friend) and quality (less satisfactory relationships) was confirmed.
• These findings reinforce the link between alexithymia and interpersonal challenges.

Conclusions:

• Alexithymia is associated with reduced mobile phone engagement.
• Interpersonal deficits, including relationship quantity and quality, appear to be key mediators of this association.
• The study highlights the impact of alexithymia on modern communication behaviors.