ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Sadeghpoor   R. (*)
Farhangi   A. (1)
Tizdast   T. (1)






(*) Department of Psychology, Humanities Faculty, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
(1) Department of Psychology, Humanities Faculty, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mazandaran, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Unit 6, Floor 5, Block 9, Shahid Chamran Residential Complex, Nobonyad Square, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Iran. Postal code: 1957978315
Phone: +98 (21) 26100837
Fax: +98 (21) 55609994
sadeghpoor_r@yahoo.com

Article History

Received:  November  18, 2018
Accepted:  February 19, 2018
ePublished:  June 29, 2018

BRIEF TEXT


Somatization disorders refer to disorders that include physical symptoms but aren’t explainable based on a general medical condition, direct effects of a material or another mental disorder. These symptoms create a considerable distress in the psycho-social performance of an individual [1]. … [2]. Among the risky factors of these disorders can refer to childhood diseases [3], stress in the family environment [4] and having an abuse background [5]. In addition, some literature has indicated to a number of psychological processes related to Somatization, including neuroticism [6], alexithymia and difficulty to regulate emotion [7]. … [8-10].

The relationship in the emotion regulation skills in several psychological disorders including depression [11], anxiety [12], and stress disorder after accident [13] and border personality disorder [14] has been confirmed … [15]. Difficulty to regulate emotions has been indicated in a number of theory models including psycho-dynamic, cognitive and evolution as a mechanism or cause for Somatization [16]. Physical symptoms in psychoanalytic theories in the Somatization area is considered as difficulty result to regulate emotions consciously. These emotions are result of individuals damaging experiences [17]. … [18]. Difficulty to regulate emotion in the Brown model, is considered as a predisposing factor in development of the Somatization disorder [19]. This theory states that individuals with difficulty to regulate emotion exhibit probably somatic symptoms in the situations that are expected to experience some emotions. These symptoms are interpreted as disease because of difficulty to identify and manage emotions [19]. Individuals with antisocial and aggressive personality features, have alexithymia and difficulty to regulate emotion [20]. Therefore, it is expected that these type of persons observe more Somatization symptoms.

The aim of the present research is to examine relationship between difficulty of emotion regulation, alexithymia and damaging events in the Somatization of 15 to 18 years old criminal adolescents.

This study is descriptive-correlative.

This study was conducted on the criminal 15-18 years old boys at the Tehran Correctional Center in 2016.

Using available sampling, 120 samples were selected. Estimation of sample number was according existing relations and studies and in view of three independent variables (alexithymia, cognitive regulation of emotion, events effect) [12].

In order to gather data the Toronto Emotional Scale Questionnaire [22-24], cognitive-emotional regulation questionnaire with reliability coefficient of .70 [25, 26], revised scale of events impact with Cronbach alpha .67 to .87 [27-28] and also checklist of mental disorders symptoms with sensitivity of .94 were used [29-30]. To perform initially some explanations was presented to the subjects regarding the study, its importance and the necessity of accuracy in answering to questions and also the way of answering. Then all questionnaires were given to the subjects. All ethical principles including secrecy of the resources used by the authors were met and all participants answered to questionnaires with a complete awareness and satisfaction. Correlation coefficients of the studied indices were analyzed using multiple regression analysis test in SPSS 19 software.

The average age of participants of this study was 16.56±1.23. After holding tests on all participants, the total score of emotion regulation questionnaire was obtained 123.847±19.749, total score of alexithymia 65.708±8.220 and total sore of the scale of event impact 49.150±16.299 (table 1). Using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the presumption of normality of Somatization variable was confirmed (p=.2; df=120; f=.071). Correlation coefficient of alexithymia, cognitive regulation of emotion and the impact of events using multiple regression test was obtained as .414 and considering that Durbin-Watson indicator was 2.248, therefore there wasn’t a correlation between errors. None of the tolerance index was lower than .2 and VIF indices higher than 10; therefore there wasn’t the risk of multi-linearity error. Results of this test showed that %15 of the Somatization symptoms variance was conformed by these three variables. Predictor variables of difficulty in emotion regulation, alexithymia and also the impact of events had the ability to explain Somatization (p=.001; F=7.980). Considering the standardized regression coefficients, from predictor variables just the damaging events were positive predictor of criminal adolescents’ Somatization (p<.05; t=4.031; table 2).

Results of the present study showed that damaging events can be a significant predictor to explain Somatization symptoms. Aligned with results obtained from this study, Elcit and Christian [31] in a research by the aim of examining predictor factors of Somatization concluded that feeling incompetent and negative emotion is associated with Somatization and these factors predict Somatization in the victims of damaging events. Andreski et. al. [32] and also North et. al. [33’ consistent with the present study concluded that pseudo-physical symptoms are steadily related with damaging events. In fact Somatization is a compatibility method with damaging events in long-term. the assumption can be suggested that damaging events result in reduction of Cortisol level and consequently development of Somatization symptoms. Also, damaging events can result in experiencing high levels of negative emotions and through which increase the probability of Somatization symptoms [34-35]. … [36-37]. Consistent wit this study, results of Beshart et. al. study [38] also shows that alexithymia influence directly on the individuals’ emotional regulation and strategies; because considering the conditions of adolescents who live in the correctional centers, there is the probability of cognitive processing problem in them.

Considering that in the present research non-clinical samples were used; repeating the study on the clinical samples is suggested because there is the probability of different relationship alexithymia and emotional regulation strategies with Somatization in those populations. It is suggested that researchers in the future perform the present study by applying more powerful statistical methods like structural equations analysis or path analysis.

Due to lack of a strong research support in Iran, a stronger statistical method like path analysis wasn’t used. Also using self-assessment questionnaires as research tool, which is affected by the subjects’ judgment, was another limitation of this study.

Damaging events of childhood time and their impact on the individual is a strong explainer of Somatization symptoms in the adolescents residing in the correctional center. Therefore, to treat these physical symptoms always the damaging events and emotional regulation strategies of these individuals have to be considered.

Hereby we thank all adolescents who participated in this study. Conflict of interest This article was derived from a thesis of a master student of general psychology.

Non-declared

All necessary permissions were received to perform the study. Results of this study will be used by prisons organization. The protocol of study was approved by ethics committee of North Tehran Azad University.

Financial resources were supplied by the author and other colleagues had the role of guidance to perform the study the better.

TABLES and CHARTS

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