Alexithymia mediates the pathway from negative life events to somatic symptoms: a cross-sectional study in a psychosomatic outpatient sample

Alexithymia significantly mediates the relationship between NLEs and somatic symptoms in psychosomatic outpatients, though its effect size (16.25%) suggests additional multifactorial pathways. Conversely, NLEs also partially mediate the alexithymia-symptom relationship, indicating complex bidirectional dynamics. Clinically, interventions targeting both alexithymia and NLE exposure may alleviate somatic symptom burden.