Alexithymia and eating disorder symptoms: the mediating role of emotion regulation

Figures & data

Figure 1. Visual representation of attention-appraisal model of alexithymia.

Components of alexithymia: EOT (externally orientated thinking), DIF (difficulty identifying feelings), and DDF (difficulty describing feelings) mapped onto the attention and appraisal stages of Gross’s (2015) process model of emotion regulation.

Figure 2. β coefficients for PAQ mediation model where c’ represents direct effect between PAQ and EDE-Q scores.

***p < .001, **p < .01, *p < .05

Table 1. Descriptive statistics for PAQ, PERCI, and EDE-Q composites.

Variables	M(SD)	Range
PAQ total	78.41(27.16)	24–154
PERCI Pos	41.55(15.36)	16–97
PERCI Neg	59.60(18.73)	16–105
EDE-Q	1.91(1.49)	.00–5.65

PAQ total = Alexithymia total score, PERCI Pos = Difficulty regulating positive emotions, PERCI Neg = Difficulty regulating negative emotions, EDE-Q = Eating disorder symptoms.

Table 2. Correlation matrix for all variables in mediation analysis.

Variables	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
1. PAQ total
2. PERCI Pos	.56**
3. PERCI Neg	.58**	.52**
4. EDE-Q	.34**	.32**	.33**
5. Age	−.22**	−.16*	−.19**	−.08
6. Gender	.09	.03	.14*	.38**	−.02

PAQ total = Alexithymia total score, PERCI Pos = Difficulty regulating positive emotions, PERCI Neg = Difficulty regulating negative emotions, EDE-Q = Eating disorder symptoms. **p < .01, *p < .05.

Table 3. Coefficients for mediation model.

Variable	β (95% CI)	SE	t	p
Outcome variable: eating disorder symptoms
Alexithymia	.16(.01, .30)	.08	2.05	.042*
Difficulty regulating positive emotions	.17(.02, .31)	.07	2.31	.022*
Difficulty regulating negative emotions	.10(−.04, .25)	.07	1.37	.171
Age	.01(−.11, .12)	.06	.09	.932
Gender	.35(.23, .46)	.06	6.04	<.001***
Outcome variable: difficulty regulating positive emotions
Alexithymia	.56(.45, .67)	.06	10.01	<.001***
Age	−.04(−.15, .07)	.06	−.75	.452
Gender	−.02(−.13, .08)	.05	−.42	.674
Outcome variable: difficulty regulating negative emotions
Alexithymia	.56(.45, .67)	.05	10.28	<.001***
Age	−.07(−.17, .04)	.05	−1.20	.231
Gender	.09(−.01, .20)	.05	1.70	.090

***p < .001, **p < .01, *p < .05.

Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, XM, upon reasonable request.