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Bullying Victimization, Post-Traumatic Symptoms, and the Mediating Role of Alexithymia

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between bullying victimization, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and alexithymia. Self-report measures concerning bullying victimization, alexithymia, and post-traumatic stress symptoms were administered to 488 adolescents (52 % boys, 48 % girls) ages 16 to 17 attending high schools. Results show that the experience of being bullied is associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms. Moreover, alexithymia mediated the impact of bullying victimization on post-traumatic stress symptoms. Findings thus show that difficulties identifying and describing feelings combined with an externally oriented thinking, the core symptoms of alexithymia, can play a crucial role in linking bullying victimization with the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder among adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy

    Giovanni Guzzo, Ugo Pace, Giuseppe Craparo & Adriano Schimmenti

  2. Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Valentina Lo Cascio

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  1. Giovanni Guzzo
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  2. Ugo Pace
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  3. Valentina Lo Cascio
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  4. Giuseppe Craparo
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  5. Adriano Schimmenti
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Correspondence to Adriano Schimmenti.

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Guzzo, G., Pace, U., Lo Cascio, V. et al. Bullying Victimization, Post-Traumatic Symptoms, and the Mediating Role of Alexithymia. Child Ind Res 7, 141–153 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-013-9206-6

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