The mediating effect of psychological distress and bullying victimization on the relationship between alexithymia and fibromyalgia among school adolescents
Mental Health and Social Inclusion
ISSN: 2042-8308
Article publication date: 21 November 2023
Issue publication date: 2 December 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to test the mediating effect of psychological distress and bullying victimization on the relationship between alexithymia and fibromyalgia (FM) among school adolescents.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used cross-sectional, correlational design. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaire. The sample consisted of 1,000 school adolescents at Grade 9–12 who were recruited randomly using multistrategic sampling technique.
Findings
The analysis showed that alexithymia was a significant predictor of FM (odds ratio [OR] = 1.065). Psychological distress was also a significant predictor of FM; however, its mediating effect resulted in drop of OR to 1.041. The joined effect of bulling victimization and psychological distress found to be significant although OR dropped from 1.065 to 1.039.
Research limitations/implications
The study highlights the significant role of school health nurses and mental health counselors to early detect and direct mental health interventions toward significant psychological problems among school adolescents.
Originality/value
I affirm this information has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. All authors approve the content of the manuscript and have contributed significantly to research involved/ the writing of the manuscript. The authors affirm their commitment to transfer copyright ownership to your journal if the manuscript is accepted for publication. The authors also affirm they will obtain any other copyright permission if deemed necessary within 30 days of acceptance for publication. All identifying information regarding the study participants has been omitted and this study was approved by the IRB at School of Nursing of the University of Jordan. The research conforms to the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki in 1995 (as revised in Brazil, 2013). All participants gave informed consent for the research, and that their anonymity was preserved. None of the authors has financial or personal matters that may pose a conflict of interest.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Since submission of this article, the following authors have updated their affiliations: Basema Nofal is also at the Faculty of Nursing, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan and Renad Hamdan-Mansour is also at the Department of Research Center, Research Coordinator King Hussein Centre, Amman, Jordan.
Citation
Alslman, E., Thultheen, I., Hamaideh, S.H., Nofal, B., Hamdan-Mansour, R. and Hamdan Mansour, A. (2024), "The mediating effect of psychological distress and bullying victimization on the relationship between alexithymia and fibromyalgia among school adolescents", Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Vol. 28 No. 5, pp. 842-856. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-09-2023-0096
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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