Prevalence of Alexithymia and Its Association with Interpersonal Relationships Among Undergraduate Students in Himachal Pradesh

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Alexithymia is characterized by difficulty identifying, understanding, and expressing emotions and may adversely affect communication and interpersonal functioning. Undergraduate students are particularly vulnerable to emotional and psychosocial challenges during this developmental period. However, limited evidence is available regarding the prevalence of alexithymia and its relationship with interpersonal functioning among undergraduate students in Himachal Pradesh.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of alexithymia and to determine the association of alexithymia among undergraduate students of Himachal Pradesh with selected socio-demographic variables.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 undergraduate students of Himachal Pradesh, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and an interpersonal relationship scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results: Among the 200 participants, 91 (45.5%) demonstrated alexithymia, 67 (33.5%) had possible alexithymia, and 42 (21.0%) had no alexithymia. Regarding interpersonal relationships, 115 (57.5%) participants were dissatisfied, whereas 85 (42.5%) were satisfied. A statistically significant weak negative correlation was observed between alexithymia and interpersonal relationship scores (r = −0.287, p < 0.001), indicating that higher alexithymia was associated with poorer interpersonal relationships. Among the selected socio-demographic variables, religion showed a statistically significant association with the association between alexithymia and interpersonal relationships (χ² = 13.95, df = 6, p = 0.030).

Conclusion: Alexithymia was prevalent among the undergraduate students studied and was significantly associated with poorer interpersonal relationships. Early identification, emotional-awareness training, counselling, and mental health promotion programmes should be incorporated into educational settings to strengthen emotional functioning and interpersonal well-being.

Changes in Mental Health Knowledge and Help-Seeking Attitudes Following Video-Assisted Education Among First-Year B.Sc. Nursing Students: A Pre-Experimental Study

Bhawna Khatri, Bhumika Pant, Amrita A. Sivasanker — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Mental health literacy can influence how young adults recognize psychological difficulties, interpret mental health information, and decide whether to seek assistance. Nursing students warrant particular attention because they are simultaneously learners, future health professionals, and potential sources of support for patients.

Objective: To examine changes in mental health knowledge and attitudes toward help-seeking after a video-assisted educational session among first-year B.Sc. Nursing students.

Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test study was undertaken with 100 first-year B.Sc. Nursing students at Sharda School of Nursing Science and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida. Participants completed a structured demographic form, a 20-item mental health knowledge questionnaire, and a 9-item seven-point semantic differential scale for help-seeking attitude. The instruments underwent expert review, and the reported reliability coefficient was 0.87. A 15-minute Hinglish educational video, followed by 15 minutes of discussion, addressed mental health concepts, common problems, warning signs, misconceptions, stigma, available professional support, and appropriate help-seeking. The same measures were repeated seven days later. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and Pearson chi-square tests were used.

Results: Mean knowledge increased from 17.23 ± 3.79 before the session to 17.91 ± 2.73 after it, a mean difference of 0.68 points; this change was not statistically significant (t = 1.55, df = 99, p = 0.124). Mean help-seeking attitude increased from 47.01 ± 12.02 to 49.08 ± 9.52, a 2.07-point increase that was also not statistically significant (t = 1.79, df = 99, p = 0.077). Post-test knowledge was associated with family type (χ² = 20.070, df = 6, p = 0.003) and monthly family income (χ² = 14.336, df = 6, p = 0.026). No examined demographic factor was significantly related to post-test help-seeking attitude.

Conclusion: The intervention was accompanied by small improvements in both measured outcomes, but the available pre-test–post-test evidence was insufficient to demonstrate a statistically significant effect. A controlled design with repeated sessions and longer follow-up would provide a stronger test of whether video-based education can produce durable changes in mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes.

Journal of Counselling and Family Therapy

Prevalence of Alexithymia and Its Association with Interpersonal Relationships Among Undergraduate Students in Himachal Pradesh

Changes in Mental Health Knowledge and Help-Seeking Attitudes Following Video-Assisted Education Among First-Year B.Sc. Nursing Students: A Pre-Experimental Study