Table 1.
Univariate analysis on influencing factors of TAS-20 scores among medical students (n = 1886)
| Variable | N (%) | DIF | DDF | EOT | TAS-20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total participants | 1,886 (NA) | 17.49 ± 4.87 | 13.29 ± 3.12 | 20.78 ± 3.35 | 51.55 ± 9.12 |
| Gendera | |||||
| Male | 368 (19.5%) | 18.60 ± 5.20 * | 13.81 ± 3.17 * | 21.38 ± 3.19 * | 53.79 ± 9.39 * |
| Female | 1,518 (80.5%) | 17.22 ± 4.75 | 13.16 ± 3.09 | 20.63 ± 3.37 | 51.01 ± 8.98 |
| Gradeb | |||||
| Onec | 584 (31.0%) | 17.01 ± 4.65 * | 13.05 ± 3.14 | 20.39 ± 3.61 * | 50.45 ± 8.65 * |
| Twoc | 473 (25.1%) | 17.14 ± 4.82 | 13.37 ± 3.08 | 20.56 ± 3.40 | 51.67 ± 9.05 |
| Threec | 361 (19.1%) | 17.53 ± 5.05 | 13.29 ± 3.06 | 20.79 ± 3.46 | 51.61 ± 9.18 |
| Fourc | 276 (14.6%) | 17.18 ± 4.73 | 13.32 ± 3.13 | 20.93 ± 3.28 | 51.42 ± 9.08 |
| Five | 192 (10.2%) | 18.68 ± 5.32 a | 13.75 ± 3.19 | 22.20 ± 3.25 a | 54.66 ± 9.05 a |
| Residencea | |||||
| Urban | 869 (46.1%) | 17.39 ± 5.22 | 13.03 ± 3.30 * | 20.74 ± 3.46 | 51.16 ± 9.75 |
| Rural | 1,017 (53.9%) | 17.57 ± 4.56 | 13.50 ± 3.30 | 20.80 ± 3.25 | 51.88 ± 8.55 |
| BMIb | |||||
| < =18.4 | 317 (16.8%) | 17.13 ± 4.46 | 13.13 ± 2.96 | 20.59 ± 3.15 | 50.85 ± 8.48 |
| 18.5–24.9 | 1,412 (74.9%) | 17.56 ± 4.92 | 13.33 ± 3.14 | 20.83 ± 3.35 | 51.71 ± 9.21 |
| > =25 | 157 (8.3%) | 17.57 ± 5.24 | 13.20 ± 3.20 | 20.69 ± 3.70 | 51.46 ± 9.60 |
| Alcohol usea | |||||
| Yes | 226 (12.0%) | 18.86 ± 5.45 * | 13.57 ± 3.05 | 20.73 ± 3.47 | 53.16 ± 10.26 * |
| No | 1,660 (80.0%) | 17.30 ± 4.76 | 13.25 ± 3.50 | 20.78 ± 3.33 | 51.33 ± 8.94 |
| Smoking behaviora | |||||
| Yes | 60 (3.2%) | 19.33 ± 6.00 * | 13.85 ± 3.67 | 21.48 ± 4.08 | 54.67 ± 11.68 * |
| No | 1,826 (96.8%) | 17.43 ± 4.82 | 13.27 ± 3.10 | 20.75 ± 3.32 | 51.45 ± 9.01 |
| Living with parentsa | |||||
| Yes | 1,674 (88.8%) | 17.27 ± 4.85 * | 13.17 ± 3.10 * | 20.73 ± 3.32 | 51.18 ± 9.13 * |
| No | 212 (11.2%) | 19.17 ± 4.75 | 14.21 ± 3.08 | 21.11 ± 3.52 | 54.49 ± 8.49 |
| Childhood traumaa | |||||
| Yes | 123 (6.5%) | 19.40 ± 5.47 * | 14.02 ± 3.85 * | 20.93 ± 3.59 | 54.35 ± 10.96 * |
| No | 1,763 (93.5%) | 17.35 ± 4.80 | 13.23 ± 3.05 | 20.76 ± 3.33 | 51.35 ± 8.95 |
| Physical activityb | |||||
| Never | 172 (9.1%) | 18.40 ± 5.12 * | 14.14 ± 3.14 * | 21.62 ± 3.33 * | 54.16 ± 9.27 * |
| Less than once a weekd | 1,522 (80.7%) | 17.59 ± 4.74 | 13.23 ± 3.07 | 20.74 ± 3.31 | 51.33 ± 8.90 |
| Several times a week | 192 (10.2%) | 17.37 ± 5.59 b | 12.99 ± 3.37 b | 20.33 ± 3.50 b | 50.91 ± 10.33 b |
DIF Difficulty identifying feelings, DDF Difficulty describing feelings, EOT Externally oriented thinking, TAS-20 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale
*Statistically significant associations are bolded (p < 0.05)
aStudent’s t-test; bOne-way ANOVA
cSignificantly different compared with grades one, two, three, and four, respectively (p < 0.05 at DIF, EOT, and TAS-20)
dSignificantly different compared with groups less than once a week and never, respectively (p < 0.05 at DIF, DDF, EOT, and TAS-20)