The Effect of Alexithymia on Self-perceived Aging Among Community-dwelling Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions: the Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

Overview

Journal Front Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2024 Nov 25

PMID 39583754

Authors

Jianou Xu

Bin Shang

Jun Zhang

Caifeng Luo

Zekun Bian

Fei Lv

Zhengxia Yang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the mediating role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between alexithymia and self-perceived aging among older adults.

Methods: We surveyed 478 Chinese community-dwelling older adults from November 2022 to May 2023. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and Brief Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ) were used. Correlation analyses, multiple linear regression analysis, and structural equation modeling were performed.

Results: The average age of participants was 71.52 ± 7.80 years, and the number of chronic diseases was distributed as follows: 270 (56.49%) had 2 disease conditions, 156 (32.64%) had 3 disease conditions, and 52 (10.88%) had 4 disease conditions or more. Scores for alexithymia 57.83 ± 10.19; maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies 49.63 ± 10.65; and self-perceived aging 58.74 ± 10.23. Alexithymia and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies were positively correlated with negative self-perceived aging (r=0.665 and r=0.673, respectively), explaining 51.8% of the variance in self-perceived aging. Structural equation modeling results showed that alexithymia had a direct effect (of 0.368) on self-perceived aging, accounting for 44.1% of the total effect. Maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies partially mediated the relationship, with a mediation effect of 0.386, accounting for 51.8% of the total effect.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that addressing maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies can help reduce negative self-perceived aging in elderly individuals with multiple chronic conditions, particularly among those with alexithymia.

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