Abstract:
The current study explores the role of executive functioning in the development of alexithymia,
and anxiety in adolescents and hypothesized that executive functioning is negatively related and
negative predictor of alexithymia and anxiety. Further, there could be significant differences
between executive functioning, alexithymia and anxiety across early and middle adolescents and
the gender difference between executive functioning, alexithymia and anxiety is also expected.
In the cross-sectional study, 185 adolescents selected through simple random sampling from
schools of Burewala City. Alexithymia was measured by Toronto Alexithymia scale (Bagby,
Parker, & Taylor, 1994) and anxiety was measured by Hamilton Anxiety Scale (Hamilton,
1959). Design Fluency Test and Color-Word Interference Test from Delis-Kaplan Executive
Function System (Delis, Kaplan, & Kramer, 2001) were used to measure executive functioning.
The statistical analysis of Pearson product moment correlation, simple regression analyses and
MANOVA were applied for hypotheses testing. The results suggested that executive function is
significantly negatively correlated with Alexithymia and Anxiety but not the predictor of
alexithymia and anxiety. Further the results explains that there are significant gender
differences in executive functioning, Alexithymia and anxiety across early and middle
adolescents. The present study concluded that adolescent’s developmental crisis leads to
different problems that affect the physical and psychological health of adolescents that demands
proper management and suitable interventions.
