Dysfunctional relationship beliefs as gendered predictors of alexithymia in Turkish cultural context

ABSTRACT

The present research investigated the relationship between dysfunctional relationship beliefs (DRB) and alexithymia with a particular focus on gender among Turkish college students. Results indicated that different DRB predicts alexithymia in females and males. Intimacy avoidance predicted an increase of alexithymia scores in females, whereas intimacy avoidance and unrealistic relationship expectations predicted an increase of alexithymia scores in males. The results highlighted the association of intimacy avoidance with difficulty identifying and describing feelings in both genders, stronger in males when compared to other two DRB, namely unrealistic relationship expectations and mind reading. The results suggested that alexithymia is related to different forms of DRB in females and males, indicating potential intervention strategies and patterns in females’ and males’ alexithymia.

KEYWORDS:

• Alexithymia
• dysfunctional relationship beliefs
• gender

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bediha Ipekci

Bediha Ipekci, is a fifth year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology Program at University of Massachusetts Boston. She received her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from University of Pennsylvania in 2014. Bediha’s research interests lie in finding ways to understand systemic factors that influence mental health outcomes for refugees of war-torn regions. Her second line of research focuses on psychotherapy process with a particular focus on therapists’ experiences of conducting psychotherapy. Recently, Bediha participated in the Social Science Research Counsel - Transdisciplinary Dissertation Proposal Development Program to work on her exploratory research study that explored cultural narrations of trauma and resilience among Iraqi and Syrian refugees. In addition, Bediha has served as a Clinical Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she predominantly works with refugees and asylum seekers. Her clinical interests include ethnopolitical trauma experienced by refugees and immigrants. Bediha recently completed Boston Psychoanalytic Society & Institute’s One-Year Fellowship Program and is a recipient of the Multicultural Concerns Committee Scholar Award from APA Division 39.

Numan Turan

Numan Turan, earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology program at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently a faculty member at the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department of Istanbul Medeniyet University. His current research interests focus on psychotherapy process and outcome studies in trauma, stress and anxiety disorders, cross-cultural psychology and cultural variations, and ethnic identity functioning.