Perceived parental rejection and mental health in Italian early adolescents: the mediating role of alexithymia.

INTRODUCTION

Grounded in Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory (IPARTheory), this study examines the associations between perceived parental rejection, alexithymia, and mental health outcomes during early adolescence. Perceived rejection from caregivers has been consistently linked to emotional and behavioral maladjustment. Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing emotions, may represent a key psychological process through which parental rejection affects adolescents' mental health. The present study aims to investigate whether alexithymia mediates the relationship between perceived maternal and paternal rejection and internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

METHODS

Participants were Italian early adolescents aged 10-14 years (both males and females) recruited from middle schools in Northern Italy. Adolescents completed self-report questionnaires assessing perceived parental rejection, alexithymia, and psychological symptoms. Perceived maternal and paternal rejection were measured using the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ). Alexithymia was assessed with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), while internalizing and externalizing symptoms were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mediation analyses were conducted to test the indirect effects of parental rejection on psychological symptoms through alexithymia.

RESULTS

Results showed that higher levels of both maternal and paternal rejection were significantly associated with increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Moreover, perceived parental rejection was positively associated with alexithymia. Mediation analyses indicated that alexithymia significantly mediated the relationships between parental rejection and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight alexithymia as a relevant psychological mechanism linking perceived parental rejection to adolescent mental health problems, underscoring the importance of family-focused and emotion-focused preventive interventions during early adolescence.