Schoenknecht, Sophie (2020) Hierarchical Regression Modelling for Unexplained Medical Symptoms: Contributions of Alexithymia, Psychological Distress, and Insecure Attachment. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
According to the literature, unexplained medical symptoms (UMS) may be contributing to the growing burden of disease worldwide. Despite previous research on UMS causation, little is known about UMS and its relationship with various variables such as psychological distress, insecure attachment and alexithymia. This study hoped to analyse the relationship between these variables and UMS, with the intention of specifically defining the role of alexithymia in UMS variability. Correlation analysis and hierarchical regression were used to test four hypotheses in this regard. The sample consisted of 114 Australian residents aged 18 or older. This was a convenience sample of the researcher’s and supervisor’s social networks as well as students from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Psychological distress, insecure attachment, alexithymia and UMS were measured using survey data from an online questionnaire. This questionnaire was compiled by integrating a series of reliable and valid measures including: the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the 36-item Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-R) questionnaire, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the 53-item Screening for Somatoform Symptoms (SOMS-7). Results were generally in line with previous research. Correlations were found between all independent variables (psychological distress, insecure attachment, alexithymia) and UMS. Hierarchical regression found that alexithymia accounted for a small significant amount of variance in UMS after accounting for psychological distress and insecure attachment. Accordingly, it was posited that working with alexithymic patients to develop their emotional processing skills may be a worthwhile method of helping to address their UMS. Therefore, further research investigating possible interventions to this effect as well as the processes of how alexithymia effects UMS could be beneficial.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Zahra Izadikhah |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Sep 2025 02:17 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Sep 2025 02:17 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | unexplained medical symptoms; alexithymia; insecure attachment; distress; |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52737 |
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