An investigation of the relationship between alexithymia and empathy tendency in university students receiving health education

The Relationship Between the Attitudes of Nursing Students Towards Providing Care for a Dying Patient and Their Empathic Tendencies

This study was planned to determine the relationship between the attitudes of nursing students towards death and dying patients and their empathic tendencies. This study was conducted with a descriptive and correlational design. The research was completed with 176 students. Positive significant relationship found between between the FATCOD and ETS scores. It was observed that a 1-point increase in the Empathic Tendency Scale score caused an increase of 0.502 points in the FATCOD score. İt is recommended providing training sessions with simulation applications for nursing students to prepare them for end-of-life care experiences.

The interconnection between social media addiction, alexithymia and empathy in medical students

Introduction

This study explores whether high alexithymia values correlate with low levels of empathy, while also trying to identify potential connections with social media addiction.

Methods

We hypothesized that alexithymia mediates the relationship between social media addiction and empathy levels in a sample of undergraduate students. The study population consisted of 649 medical students in the 4th/5th/6th University year, recruited between March and May 2021. For this assessment, we employed three psychometric instruments: the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ), the Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). A pathway analysis investigated alexithymia as a mediator between social media addiction and the degree of empathy in medical undergraduates. Sobel's test and the Baron and Kenny approach were used for testing mediation.

Results

The TEQ total mean score was 48.76 ± 5.65, while the TAS-20 total mean score was 47.71 ± 11.49. Further analysis of the TAS-20 scale scores showed that 21.42% of students had possible alexithymia, while 14.02% had clear alexithymia. The SMAS-SF total mean score was 73.20 ± 14.59. None of the students reported levels consistent with major social media addiction. The mediated effect of the TAS-20 is about 1.3 times larger than the direct effect of the SMAS-SF on TEQ.

Discussion

We found a significant negative correlation between empathy and alexithymia in medical students. Alexithymia was a mediator between social media addiction and empathy. Therefore, we recommend further efforts to identify potential levels of alexithymia in medical students, in order to successfully develop tailored interventions aimed at increasing their emotional awareness.

Alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional contagion and empathy

Introduction

Empathy-the ability to identify and share another person's emotional state-is an important socio-emotional process arising, in part, from emotional contagion. In the current study, we assessed unique variance in emotional contagion and other empathy-related constructs accounted for by two personality traits, alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), when controlling for childhood emotional abuse and current depressed mood.

Methods

A sample of 305 adults (M _age = 20.1 years) watched brief film clips chosen to induce various emotional states. After each film, the participants rated how strongly they experienced each of nine different emotions. They then completed self-report measures of alexithymia, SPS, empathy-related constructs, childhood emotional abuse, and current mood.

Results

Those scoring high (vs. low) on SPS reported stronger primary emotions and a larger range of emotions when watching the films and were more apt to believe that their emotions matched those of the individuals featured in the films. They also scored higher on both self-oriented processes (such as the tendency to feel personal distress in tense situations) and other-oriented processes (such as perspective taking and empathic concern) related to empathy. Individuals scoring high (vs. low) on alexithymia reported feeling a larger range of emotions while watching the films but scored lower on other-oriented processes related to empathy. After controlling for SPS and alexithymia, current depressed mood predicted experiencing less varied reactions to mixed valence films that elicited strong feelings of embarrassment/humiliation, and less amusement when watching positive films. Childhood emotional abuse did not emerge as a predictor of emotional contagion or empathy.

Discussion

We propose that the strong and nuanced feelings elicited in those scoring high on SPS by observing others support their personal view that they are highly empathic. In contrast, by failing to closely examine their own mixed reactions to others, individuals with alexithymia may find it difficult to connect with, understand, and respond to others' feelings.

Alexithymia, social inhibition, affectivity, and knowledge hiding

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of adverse personality traits (alexithymia, social inhibition, negative affectivity) and supervisor knowledge hiding on individual knowledge hiding. This study also explores the moderating role of positive affectivity.

Design/methodology/approach

Partial least squares path modeling and data collected from 518 Polish employees with higher education and extensive professional experience recruited via an Ariadna survey panel were used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Two dimensions of alexithymia were considered: difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) and difficulty describing feelings (DDF). DIF has a direct impact on individual hiding, whereas DDF has an indirect impact, via social inhibition. Negative affectivity is a predictor of social inhibition, which enhances knowledge hiding. Positive affectivity slightly weakens the positive and strong effect of supervisor knowledge hiding on subordinate knowledge hiding.

Practical implications

Because alexithymia, social inhibition and negative affectivity may predispose employees to knowledge hiding, managers should identify these personality traits among job applicants and hired employees to make appropriate employment decisions. Moreover, managers should be aware that hiding knowledge by a supervisor may be imitated by subordinates.

Originality/value

Based on conservation of resources theory, this study investigates previously unexplored relationships among alexithymia, social inhibition, affectivity and knowledge hiding.