Alice Shen

Topic

Understanding the Interplay of Alexithymia, Emotion Regulation, and Emotion-Avoidant Behaviours: A Study of Young Adults Engaging in Self-Damaging Behaviours

Department of Psychology

Date & location

• Friday, August 16, 2024

• 10:00 A.M.

• Virtual Defence

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Brianna Turner, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

• Dr. Erica Woodin, Department of Psychology, UVic (Co-Supervisor) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Sarah Nutter, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, UVic

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Andrea Mellor, School of Public Health and Social Policy, UVic

Abstract

Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying, describing, and attuning to internal emotional experiences, is consistently linked with emotion dysregulation and maladaptive behaviours such as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and disordered eating (DE). While previous research has examined the relationship between alexithymia and emotion regulation (ER) abilities or strategies separately, few studies have integrated both to understand their combined influence on maladaptive behaviours. The present study aims to validate and extend existing findings by investigating the direct relationship between alexithymia and specific ER abilities and strategies in young adults oversampled for engagement in NSSI and DE. Additionally, it seeks to explore whether NSSI and DE function as maladaptive ER strategies and whether deficits in ER abilities mediate the relationship between alexithymia and maladaptive behaviours. Participants (N = 193, aged 17-30 years, 61.1% female) from a larger self-monitoring study on self-damaging behaviours completed self-reported assessments of alexithymia, ER abilities, ER strategies, lifetime NSSI frequency, and DE symptom severity. Correlation comparisons and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed significant overlaps in Deficits in Emotional Knowledge (DEK) measured by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS) measures, suggesting construct redundancy. A simplified measurement model of DEK was used to predict maladaptive outcomes through parallel mediation models specifying deficits in four ER abilities: impulse control, mobilization of goal-directed behaviours, access to ER strategies, and acceptance of emotions. The relationship between DEK and lifetime NSSI frequency was collectively mediated by the four ER ability deficits. Similarly, models predicting DE symptom severity and cognitive reappraisal revealed a total indirect effect through all four ER ability mediators. However, difficulties mobilizing goal-directed behaviours negatively mediated the relationship between DEK and DE symptom severity, suggesting a need to examine the orientation of goals among individuals engaging in DE. Consistent with previous research, a lack of access to adaptive ER strategies negatively mediated the relationship between DEK and cognitive reappraisal. Finally, only the mediation model for expressive suppression exhibited a direct effect of DEK, and impulsivity negatively mediated the relationship between DEK and expressive suppression, highlighting a potential difference in mechanisms driving the selection response-focused ER strategies. Findings from the present study support previous evidence of the potential affective regulation function of maladaptive behaviours, such as NSSI and DE. By elucidating the relationship between DEK, ER abilities, and the selection of ER strategies, targeted intervention can be better designed to help support individuals who frequently engage in maladaptive behaviours to regulate aversive emotional experiences.