Alexitimia and parenting: An analysis of the relationship between parental alexitimia, marital self-efficacy and parenting practices

The study, adopting the interpersonal perspective typical of the most recent studies on alexithymia, analyzes the association between parental alexithymia and perception of family relationships, focusing on marital self-efficacy and parental practices, also taking into account the gender differences between mothers and fathers. The TAS-20, the Perceived Marital Self-efficacy Scale and the Parenting Scale were filled by 148 couples of Italian parents (average age: mothers = 34.9 years, fathers = 37.4 years), of children aged between 9 and 36 months. The results show that higher levels of alexithymia are associated with a more frequent use of dysfunctional disciplinary practices and lower levels of marital self-efficacy. Marital self-efficacy mediates the relationship between alexithymia and parental practices. The implications of the study for parenting support interventions are discussed.