Investigation of the Relationship Between the Alexithymic Characteristics of Secondary Students and Their Childhood Maltreatment Experiences

Abstract

This research is a descriptive study aiming at revealing the difference between alexithymia levels and childhood period trauma experience levels according to variables discussed, of students who study in different high schools. In the study, quantitative method and relational survey model have been used. Five hundred ninety-nine students (57.3%female, 42.7%male) studying in 7 different high schools located in a city in the Southeastern Anatolian Region of Turkey in 2018–2019 school year constitutes the study group of the research. A proper sampling method has been used to determine the study group. In the scope of the study, Personal Information Form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form have been used as data collection tools. In data analysis, IBM SPSS 23 Pack software has been used. In the study, it has been observed that according to multivariate analysis of variance test, which is used with the purpose of determining the effects of independent variables, difficulty in expressing feelings and childhood trauma experiences that are the lower dimension of alexithymia become drastically distinct according to school type-class level joint interaction variable. It has been observed that levels of expressing feelings, physical neglect, and emotional neglect become distinct according to school type and childhood trauma experiences, school type–age joint interaction variables.