Medical students are particularly at risk of mental health conditions because of the nature of their studies. They are more prone to alexithymia due to the intensity of their training. Various studies conducted on university students around the Middle East have revealed that they have a higher alexithymia prevalence rate than the general population. Most medical students have depressive symptom emanating a multitude of factors. Depression has a mediating role in the correlation between self- harm and alexithymia.In line with many other studies, higher levels of spirituality were associated with lesser symptoms of depression and an overall improved quality of life. Religious support is used by some medical students to reduce the effects their stressful university life.
AIM OF THE WORK:
The study aimed to achieve two objectives;
1. To measure the prevalence of alexithymia as a psychological construct among undergraduate students at Alexandria University school of medicine.
2. To study the association between Alexithymia, depression, spiritulaity and religiosity as culture sensitive parameters among the study group.