Dissertation defence (Adolescent Psychiatry): MSc Ru Li
Time
12.1.2024 at 12.00 - 16.00
MSc Ru Li defends the dissertation in Adolescent Psychiatry titled “The role of alexithymic traits in shaping mental health in the context of parental bonding and COVID-19 pandemic” at the University of Turku on 12 January 2024 at 12.00 (University of Turku, Main building, Tauno Nurmela lecture hall, Turku).
Opponent: Dr. Juha Veijola (University of Oulu)
Custos: Associate Professor Max Karukivi (University of Turku)
The audience can participate in the defence by remote access: https://utu.zoom.us/j/69381180460
Doctoral Dissertation at UTUPub: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-9555-4
***
Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:
Alexithymia, introduced by psychiatrist Peter Sifneos in 1970s, refers to a personality trait individuals have marked trouble recognizing, understanding, and expressing their emotions. This trait was first noticed in psychosomatic patients, that is, individuals with physical health issues linked to mental health issues as well. They seem to be unable to realize their feelings, or otherwise, to some extent, they may find it hard to use a word to describe their feelings, just like having a restricted emotional vocabulary. Moreover, they may tend to focus more on external practical matters than on imagination and emotions. Alexithymic traits have long been linked to mental health problems including depression, anxiety, as well as substance use. However, there are debates about whether alexithymia is a risk factor and how it actually works in the development of mental health problems.
To explore the role of alexithymia, research was conducted using a large group of parents involved in a big research project. I sought to investigate how this emotional difficulty is connected to mental health problems, especially when considering environmental factors, such as how people were treated by their parents in the past and how people face stress under recent exceptional situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, I found that alexithymia played a role in connecting how someone felt about their relationship with their parents in childhood to how much psychological distress they experienced later. This effect was stronger for men compared to women, particularly concerning a problematic relationship with their fathers.
During the pandemic, although alexithymia itself did not have a strong impact on changes in mental health, it played a more significant role when combined with other factors such as stressful feelings and problematic alcohol use. We also observed that different facets of alexithymic traits impacted people in different ways. Trouble recognizing or describing feelings appeared to make individuals more likely to feel emotionally distressed, while a more practical thinking style was more closely connected to alcohol use.
The findings of this study suggest that alexithymia could be a way to understand how past and present experiences affect mental health, potentially explaining individual differences in the development of mental health problems. By using long-term data and various exploration methods, the study provides a deeper understanding of what alexithymia is like and how it functions in shaping mental health. Overall, this study highlights the significance of identifying alexithymic traits and justifies focusing on them to support individuals predisposed to or having mental health problems.
Opponent: Dr. Juha Veijola (University of Oulu)
Custos: Associate Professor Max Karukivi (University of Turku)
The audience can participate in the defence by remote access: https://utu.zoom.us/j/69381180460
Doctoral Dissertation at UTUPub: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-29-9555-4
***
Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:
Alexithymia, introduced by psychiatrist Peter Sifneos in 1970s, refers to a personality trait individuals have marked trouble recognizing, understanding, and expressing their emotions. This trait was first noticed in psychosomatic patients, that is, individuals with physical health issues linked to mental health issues as well. They seem to be unable to realize their feelings, or otherwise, to some extent, they may find it hard to use a word to describe their feelings, just like having a restricted emotional vocabulary. Moreover, they may tend to focus more on external practical matters than on imagination and emotions. Alexithymic traits have long been linked to mental health problems including depression, anxiety, as well as substance use. However, there are debates about whether alexithymia is a risk factor and how it actually works in the development of mental health problems.
To explore the role of alexithymia, research was conducted using a large group of parents involved in a big research project. I sought to investigate how this emotional difficulty is connected to mental health problems, especially when considering environmental factors, such as how people were treated by their parents in the past and how people face stress under recent exceptional situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, I found that alexithymia played a role in connecting how someone felt about their relationship with their parents in childhood to how much psychological distress they experienced later. This effect was stronger for men compared to women, particularly concerning a problematic relationship with their fathers.
During the pandemic, although alexithymia itself did not have a strong impact on changes in mental health, it played a more significant role when combined with other factors such as stressful feelings and problematic alcohol use. We also observed that different facets of alexithymic traits impacted people in different ways. Trouble recognizing or describing feelings appeared to make individuals more likely to feel emotionally distressed, while a more practical thinking style was more closely connected to alcohol use.
The findings of this study suggest that alexithymia could be a way to understand how past and present experiences affect mental health, potentially explaining individual differences in the development of mental health problems. By using long-term data and various exploration methods, the study provides a deeper understanding of what alexithymia is like and how it functions in shaping mental health. Overall, this study highlights the significance of identifying alexithymic traits and justifies focusing on them to support individuals predisposed to or having mental health problems.
University Communications