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The Relationship between Alexithymia, Dysmorphic Concern, and Exercise Addiction: The Moderating Effect of
Alessio Gori1,2, Eleonora Topino3, Caterina Pucci1
1Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, Pad. 26, 50135 Florence, Italy.
This study reveals that alexithymia (difficulty identifying emotions) increases exercise addiction risk, mediated by body image concerns. High self-esteem can protect against this link, offering insights for addiction prevention.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Exercise addiction poses significant psychophysical risks, necessitating research into its underlying mechanisms.
- Understanding risk and protective factors is crucial for clinical and practical interventions in exercise addiction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate risk and protective factors for exercise addiction.
- To examine the roles of alexithymia, body image concerns, and self-esteem in exercise addiction.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 288 regular exercisers completed validated questionnaires assessing exercise addiction, alexithymia, body image concerns, and self-esteem.
- A moderated mediation model was employed to analyze the relationships between the variables.
Main Results:
- Alexithymia was positively associated with exercise addiction, with body image concerns acting as a full mediator.
- High self-esteem significantly moderated the relationship between alexithymia and body image concerns, diminishing the effect.
Conclusions:
- Body image concerns are a key pathway through which alexithymia contributes to exercise addiction.
- Self-esteem plays a protective role, potentially mitigating the negative impact of alexithymia on body image and subsequent addiction.
- Findings highlight targets for tailored preventive and treatment interventions for exercise addiction.
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