The associations between alexithymia, non-suicidal self-injury, and risky drinking: The moderating roles of experiential avoidance and biological sex

Abstract

Alexithymia and experiential avoidance are personality traits regularly identified as correlates of behaviours that serve an emotion regulatory function, including, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and risky drinking. In the current study, we examined whether the relationships between alexithymia, NSSI, and risky drinking are moderated by experiential avoidance and sex. A sample of 778 university students (77.1% female, Mage = 22.27, SD = 6.71) completed online questionnaires. For men, a combination of high levels of externally orientated thinking and experiential avoidance was associated with NSSI. Conversely, for women, a combination of high levels of externally orientated thinking but low levels of experiential avoidance was associated with risky drinking. Findings suggest that associations between alexithymia and experiential avoidance with NSSI and risky drinking may differ between men and women.