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Published on: September 19, 2019
Parental bonding and alexithymia: a meta-analysis.
F A Thorberg1, R McD Young, K A Sullivan
1Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia. f.thorberg@qut.edu.au
This meta-analysis reveals a strong link between maternal care and alexithymia, particularly difficulties in identifying and describing feelings. Parenting styles significantly influence alexithymia traits, with implications for future research.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing feelings, is associated with various psychological conditions.
- Parenting styles are recognized as crucial environmental factors influencing child development and psychological well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct the first meta-analysis examining the relationship between alexithymia, measured by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and parenting styles, assessed via the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI).
- To quantify the strength of association between specific dimensions of parenting and alexithymia.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across Web of Science, PsycInfo, PubMed, and ProQuest: Dissertations and Theses.
- Nine studies with sufficient data were included in this meta-analysis.
Main Results:
- Moderate to strong positive associations were found between maternal care and overall alexithymia.
- Maternal care showed significant relationships with the TAS-20 facets of Difficulties Describing Feelings and Difficulties Identifying Feelings.
- Moderate relationships were observed between maternal and paternal overprotection and alexithymia, as well as the Difficulties Describing Feelings facet.
Conclusions:
- This meta-analysis provides robust evidence for a significant association between parenting styles, particularly maternal care, and alexithymia.
- Findings underscore the importance of early caregiving experiences in the development of emotional processing difficulties.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex interplay between parenting and alexithymia.
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