THE EMOTIONAL PATHWAY FROM PERSONALITY TRAITS TO ALEXITHYMIA: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTION REGULATION

Authors : Esra Köten
Pages : 823-845
Doi:10.56597/kausbed.1717162
View : 49 | Download : 226
Publication Date : 2025-12-12
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Although the various consequences of the Big Five personality traits are well documented, the pathway from these personality traits to alexithymia has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to examine the relationships among the Big Five personality traits, emotion regulation skills, and alexithymia, as well as the mediating effect of emotion regulation on the relationship between personality traits and alexithymia. The Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI), the Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire (ERSQ), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) self-report measures were administered to a non-clinical sample of 402 individuals aged 18 to 55 in Turkey. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 27 and Process Macro 4.2. Results revealed significant correlations between the Big Five personality traits, emotion regulation skills, and alexithymia. All personality traits are strong predictors of emotion regulation, with extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness showing positive predictive relationships regarding emotion regulation, while neuroticism exhibits a negative predictive relationship. Emotion regulation is a significant negative predictor of alexithymia. Each personality trait significantly predicts alexithymia; specifically, extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness are negatively predictive, whereas neuroticism is positively predictive. Furthermore, emotion regulation mediated each of these relationships between the Big Five personality traits and alexithymia. These results significantly contribute to existing research by demonstrating the predictive effect of emotion regulation, along with personality traits, on alexithymia and identifying emotion regulation as a mediator.
Keywords : Beş büyük kişilik özelliği, Aleksitimi, Duygu düzenleme becerileri, Aracılık analizi

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