The purpose of this study was to examine whether alexithymia serves as a mediating factor in the relationship between perceived parental psychological control during childhood and interpersonal relationship problems in college students. The research q...
The purpose of this study was to examine whether alexithymia serves as a mediating factor in the relationship between perceived parental psychological control during childhood and interpersonal relationship problems in college students. The research questions were as follows:
What is the relationship between psychological control, interpersonal relationship problems, and alexithymia?
Does alexithymia mediate the relationship between psychological control and interpersonal relationship problems?
The study surveyed 313 participants through an online platform to achieve its objectives. Out of the responses, 302 were considered valid for analysis after excluding non-responsive or irrelevant data. To measure perceived parental psychological control, a modified questionnaire based on Barber's (1996) Psychological Control Scale-Youth Self-Report (PCS-YSR), tailored by Choi Myung-jin (2010) for college students, was utilized. The Korean version of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20K), revised by Shin Hyun-gyun and Won Ho-taek (1997), was employed to assess alexithymia. Additionally, a modified version of the Korean Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex Scales (KIIP-SC) was used to measure interpersonal relationship problems.
Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 19.0, involving frequency analysis, descriptive statistics to explore participants' backgrounds, and reliability analysis (Cronbach’s α coefficient) for the measurement tools. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to examine the relationships between key variables. To investigate the mediating effect of alexithymia in the relationship between psychological control and interpersonal relationship problems, Baron and Kenny's (1986) hierarchical multiple regression analysis was applied. The significance of the mediating effect was further confirmed using Sobel tests.
The summarized results of the study are as follows:
There were significant correlations among perceived parental psychological control, interpersonal relationship problems, and alexithymia. Psychological control showed positive correlations with interpersonal relationship problems and alexithymia, indicating that higher levels of psychological control were associated with increased interpersonal relationship problems and alexithymia.
In the relationship between perceived parental psychological control and interpersonal relationship problems, alexithymia demonstrated a partial mediating effect.
This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of various factors influencing interpersonal relationship problems among college students. By empirically validating the path through which parental psychological control affects interpersonal relationship problems via alexithymia, this research provides valuable insights for counselors dealing with college students experiencing interpersonal relationship difficulties.