Alexithymia and Psychopathology in Adolescents: A Systematic Review
Alexithymia is defined by difficulties in identifying, differentiating and expressing emotions and has been associated with a range of presentations of psychological distress in adolescence. The objective of this systematic review was to analyse the available scientific evidence on the link between alexithymia and psychopathology in adolescents, considering the main emotional and behavioural manifestations and associated factors. A systematic literature review was conducted through searches in Scopus and Web of Science, complemented by Google Scholar, with the terms “alexitimia”, “alexithymia”, “adolescentes” and “adolescents”, combined with Boolean operators. Studies published between 2021 and 2025, available in full text and conducted with adolescent populations, were included. The selection process followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Sixteen studies were selected, and their findings showed associations mainly with depressive symptoms, self-harm behaviors, difficulties in emotion regulation, and eating-related problems. Associations with somatization, anxiety, aggression, and substance use were also identified, as well as factors such as childhood maltreatment and trauma, negative life events, peer victimization, and family context. The evidence suggests that alexithymia is a relevant component in understanding psychopathology during adolescence and requires further investigation through longitudinal designs.
Keywords: Adolescents; Alexithymia; Emotion regulation; Mental health; Psychopathology.
