The Mediator Role of Empathy and Emotional Intelligence in the Relationship between Alexithymia and Emotional Expression Styles

Abstract

Although there are studies on the effect of alexithymia on expressed emotion, emotion expression in people with alexithymia was not specifically examined. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and emotional expression styles and whether emotional intelligence and empathy mediate this relationship. A total of 254 teacher candidates were evaluated using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Empathy Quotient Scale, Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and Emotional Expression Styles Inventory. We performed the analyses using structural equation models. Our results revealed that alexithymia indirectly affected the expression style of happiness and sadness emotions negatively and emotional intelligence and empathy played a mediator role in this effect of alexithymia. Also, an indirect positive relationship was identified between alexithymia and anger expression style, and it was found that this relationship was mediated by emotional intelligence. Accordingly, emotional expression styles were also related to other variables. The present study also determined that alexithymia level was significantly and negatively correlated with emotional intelligence and empathy levels. This is the first study to reveal that alexithymia is related to emotional expression styles and that emotional intelligence and empathy also have mediator roles in emotional expression styles. expression styles were also related to other variables.