The association between alexithymia and posttraumatic stress symptoms following multiple exposures to traumatic events in North Korean refugees

Abstract Objective The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the interaction between the number of traumas experienced and alexithymia, on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods The sample comprised 199 North Korean refugees. Participants completed the Trauma Exposure Check List for North Korean Refugees, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Results TAS-20 scores were positively correlated with IES-R scores ( r  = 0.21, p r  = 0.32, p t  = 2.10, p t  = 2.90, p Conclusion The results of the current study suggest that, as individuals experience more traumatic events, clearly identifying and expressing emotions become more crucial for reducing PTSD symptoms.