Skip to main content

Table 1 Univariate analysis on influencing factors of TAS-20 scores among medical students (n = 1886)

From: Influencing factors of alexithymia in Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study

Variable

N (%)

DIF

DDF

EOT

TAS-20

Total participants

1,886 (NA)

17.49 ± 4.87

13.29 ± 3.12

20.78 ± 3.35

51.55 ± 9.12

Gendera

 Male

368 (19.5%)

18.60 ± 5.20 *

13.81 ± 3.17 *

21.38 ± 3.19 *

53.79 ± 9.39 *

 Female

1,518 (80.5%)

17.22 ± 4.75

13.16 ± 3.09

20.63 ± 3.37

51.01 ± 8.98

Gradeb

 Onec

584 (31.0%)

17.01 ± 4.65 *

13.05 ± 3.14

20.39 ± 3.61 *

50.45 ± 8.65 *

 Twoc

473 (25.1%)

17.14 ± 4.82

13.37 ± 3.08

20.56 ± 3.40

51.67 ± 9.05

 Threec

361 (19.1%)

17.53 ± 5.05

13.29 ± 3.06

20.79 ± 3.46

51.61 ± 9.18

 Fourc

276 (14.6%)

17.18 ± 4.73

13.32 ± 3.13

20.93 ± 3.28

51.42 ± 9.08

 Five

192 (10.2%)

18.68 ± 5.32 a

13.75 ± 3.19

22.20 ± 3.25 a

54.66 ± 9.05 a

Residencea

 Urban

869 (46.1%)

17.39 ± 5.22

13.03 ± 3.30 *

20.74 ± 3.46

51.16 ± 9.75

 Rural

1,017 (53.9%)

17.57 ± 4.56

13.50 ± 3.30

20.80 ± 3.25

51.88 ± 8.55

BMIb

  < =18.4

317 (16.8%)

17.13 ± 4.46

13.13 ± 2.96

20.59 ± 3.15

50.85 ± 8.48

 18.5–24.9

1,412 (74.9%)

17.56 ± 4.92

13.33 ± 3.14

20.83 ± 3.35

51.71 ± 9.21

  > =25

157 (8.3%)

17.57 ± 5.24

13.20 ± 3.20

20.69 ± 3.70

51.46 ± 9.60

Alcohol usea

 Yes

226 (12.0%)

18.86 ± 5.45 *

13.57 ± 3.05

20.73 ± 3.47

53.16 ± 10.26 *

 No

1,660 (80.0%)

17.30 ± 4.76

13.25 ± 3.50

20.78 ± 3.33

51.33 ± 8.94

Smoking behaviora

 Yes

60 (3.2%)

19.33 ± 6.00 *

13.85 ± 3.67

21.48 ± 4.08

54.67 ± 11.68 *

 No

1,826 (96.8%)

17.43 ± 4.82

13.27 ± 3.10

20.75 ± 3.32

51.45 ± 9.01

Living with parentsa

 Yes

1,674 (88.8%)

17.27 ± 4.85 *

13.17 ± 3.10 *

20.73 ± 3.32

51.18 ± 9.13 *

 No

212 (11.2%)

19.17 ± 4.75

14.21 ± 3.08

21.11 ± 3.52

54.49 ± 8.49

Childhood traumaa

 Yes

123 (6.5%)

19.40 ± 5.47 *

14.02 ± 3.85 *

20.93 ± 3.59

54.35 ± 10.96 *

 No

1,763 (93.5%)

17.35 ± 4.80

13.23 ± 3.05

20.76 ± 3.33

51.35 ± 8.95

Physical activityb

 Never

172 (9.1%)

18.40 ± 5.12 *

14.14 ± 3.14 *

21.62 ± 3.33 *

54.16 ± 9.27 *

 Less than once a weekd

1,522 (80.7%)

17.59 ± 4.74

13.23 ± 3.07

20.74 ± 3.31

51.33 ± 8.90

 Several times a week

192 (10.2%)

17.37 ± 5.59 b

12.99 ± 3.37 b

20.33 ± 3.50 b

50.91 ± 10.33 b

  1. DIF Difficulty identifying feelings, DDF Difficulty describing feelings, EOT Externally oriented thinking, TAS-20 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale
  2. *Statistically significant associations are bolded (p < 0.05)
  3. aStudent’s t-test; bOne-way ANOVA
  4. cSignificantly different compared with grades one, two, three, and four, respectively (p < 0.05 at DIF, EOT, and TAS-20)
  5. dSignificantly different compared with groups less than once a week and never, respectively (p < 0.05 at DIF, DDF, EOT, and TAS-20)