Investigating alexithymia, emotional expression, childhood trauma, and attachment in self-reported disordered eating behaviour

Eating disorders, a diagnostic group in which eating behaviour is seriously impaired, are a growing problem worldwide. Psychological factors underlying eating disorders have been investigated, yet no definite conclusions have been drawn. An important area of research is the relationship between eating disorders, early childhood experiences, and emotional expression difficulties. The purpose of this study was to examine the early childhood traumas, alexithymia, emotional expression, and attachment styles in young adults with self-reported disordered eating behaviour, in comparison with individuals with no reported disordered eating behaviour and health issues. Included in the study were 39 participants with disordered eating behaviour and 20 participants as control, between 18-35 years of age, and consisting 43 women and 16 men. Participants completed medical history and sociodemographic information form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Emotional Expression Questionnaire, and Experience in Close Relationships. Results showed that physical abuse and alexithymia were significantly more prevalent in individuals with self-reported disordered eating behaviour. Attachment anxiety and avoidance scores were high in both groups, with no significant difference. There was no difference in emotional expression in positive, negative or intimacy subscores between groups. Findings suggested that clinical psychologists need to examine early childhood experiences, family dynamics, and alexithymia in detail to apply more efficient intervention approaches for young adults with disordered eating behaviour. It is also remarkable that more than half of the individuals with disordered eating behaviour have not received any psychological consultation indicating that there is a need for increasing public awareness towards eating behaviour problems.

Öz-bildirime dayalı yeme davranışı bozukluğunda aleksitimi, duygusal ifade, çocukluk çağı travması ve bağlanmanın incelenmesi

Yeme bozuklukları, yeme davranışının ciddi biçimde bozulması olarak tanımlanmakta olup dünya çapında giderek artan bir problem olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Yeme bozuklukları altında yatan psikolojik faktörler araştırılmış, fakat geçerli bir sonuca ulaşmak mümkün olmamıştır. Bazı çalışmalar yeme bozuklukları, erken çocukluk dönemi deneyimleri ve duygusal ifade sorunları arasındaki ilişki üzerinde durmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın amacı, yeme davranışı bozukluğu rapor eden genç yetişkin grupta; erken çocukluk dönemi travmaları, aleksitimi, duygusal ifade ve bağlanma stillerini bilinen bir yeme veya sağlık problemi olmayan bireylerle karşılaştırarak incelemektir. Çalışmaya 18-35 yaş arasında, 43 kadın ve 16 erkek; yeme davranışı bozukluğu rapor eden 39 katılımcı ve yeme davranışı bozukluğu olmayan 20 katılımcı kontrol grubu olmak üzere toplam 59 katılımcı dahil edilmiştir. Katılımcılar, tıbbi öykü ve sosyodemografik bilgi formu, Çocukluk Çağı Travma Ölçeği, 20-maddeli Toronto Aleksitimi Ölçeği, Duygusal İfade Ölçeği ve Yakın İlişkilerde Yaşantılar Envanteri doldurmuşlardır. Sonuçlar yeme davranışı bozukluğu olan bireylerde fiziksel istismar ve aleksitimi görülme sıklığının anlamlı düzeyde yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir. Kaygılı ve kaçıngan bağlanma puanları her iki grupta da yüksek olup, gruplar arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunamamıştır. Duygusal İfade Ölçeğinin pozitif, negatif veya yakınlık alt puanlarında gruplar arasında fark bulunamamıştır. Bulgular, daha etkin terapi yaklaşımları uygulayabilmek için klinik psikologların yeme davranışı bozukluklarında erken çocukluk çağı deneyimlerini, aile dinamiklerini ve aleksitimi varlığını detaylı bir şekilde değerlendirmelerini önermektedir. Ayrıca yeme davranışı bozukluğu olan bireylerin yarısından fazlasının hiç psikolojik danışmanlık almaması yeme davranışı bozukluğuna yönelik toplumsal farkındalığın arttırılması gerektiğini göstermiştir.

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