An investigation of the relationship between alexithymia and empathy tendency in university students receiving health education

Purpose: This study aims to identify the relationship between alexithymia and empathy tendency in university students receiving health education. Design and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with the volunteer participation of 376 students at a university located in the eastern part of Turkey between September and October 2019. Data were collected through the Sociodemographic Form, the Empathy Tendency Scale, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Findings: The Empathy Tendency Scale was found to be significantly higher in females, in those who lived alone, who did not experience a traumatic event when they were children, whose mother was alive, and who were not subject to violence. As to the Alexithymia Scale, mean scores were significantly higher in males, in those whose mother or father was illiterate, who had a monthly family income of less than 2000(sic), who graduated from a Religious Vocational High School, and whose mother was not alive (P < .05). A negative, significant relationship was found between the Empathy Tendency Scale mean score and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (P < .001). ' Practice Implications: A negative, significant relationship was found between empathy tendency and alexithymia. It is recommended that similar studies should be conducted in different regions as well.