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DISS FINAL LING.pdf (916.63 KB)
ETD Abstract Container
Abstract Header
Relationships Among Social Functioning, Alexithymia, and Asian Values
Author Info
Ling, Shu
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595698570441989
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2020, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Counseling Psychology.
Abstract
Alexithymia is a personality trait that is defined as a difficulty in identifying and describing emotions, as well as an externally-oriented pattern of thinking. Research has linked alexithymia with generally poor social functioning. Most of the existing literature on alexithymia and its social implications is limited, as most of the studies are heavily rooted in the European culture. Little research has examined whether there is cultural variation in how alexithymia influences social functioning among ethnic minorities. A review of literature on emotion expression, social functioning, and Asian cultures suggests that the relationship between alexithymia and poor social functioning may be less significant among Asian individuals because Asian individuals have different relationship norms, different expectations regarding emotion expression in relationships, and different cultural interpretations of alexithymia. This study explored how alexithymia was related to social functioning and life satisfaction directly and indirectedly through Asian values with a multicultural sample. A moderated mediation analysis along with bivariate correlations were used to investigate these pathways. Results demonstrated that alexithymia predicted poorer social functioning for Asians, Asian Americans, and Caucasian Americans, which in turn led to poorer life satisfaction. The relationship between alexithymia and social functioning differed as a function of adherence to Asian values, providing evidence for conditional effects. Adherence to Asian values also moderated the relationship between alexithymia and life satisfaction.
Committee
Ingrid Weigold (Committee Chair)
Varunee Faii Sangganjanavanich (Committee Member)
Margo Gregor (Committee Member)
Ronald Levant (Committee Member)
John Queener (Committee Member)
Pages
150 p.
Subject Headings
Psychology
Keywords
asian
;
alexithymia
;
social functioning
;
cross-cultural
;
life satisfaction
;
moderated mediation
;
cultural values
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Citations
Ling, S. (2020).
Relationships Among Social Functioning, Alexithymia, and Asian Values
[Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595698570441989
APA Style (7th edition)
Ling, Shu.
Relationships Among Social Functioning, Alexithymia, and Asian Values.
2020. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595698570441989.
MLA Style (8th edition)
Ling, Shu. "Relationships Among Social Functioning, Alexithymia, and Asian Values." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1595698570441989
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
akron1595698570441989
Download Count:
957
Copyright Info
© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.