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This study aims to determine the prevalence of alexithymia among medical students in Pakistan and its association with social media addiction.

June 1, 2026Open Access

Prevalence of alexithymia and its association with social media addiction among medical students in Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

Key Points

This study aims to determine the prevalence of alexithymia among medical students in Pakistan and its association with social media addiction.
Cross-sectional analytical study conducted among 417 undergraduate medical students from multiple colleges in Pakistan.
Data collected via online questionnaire including demographic variables, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale.
Statistical analyses utilized chi-square tests and binary logistic regression.
The prevalence of alexithymia among medical students was found to be 29.7% (95% CI: 25–34%).
Moderate social media addiction showed significant association with alexithymia (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.25–3.53).
High social media addiction significantly increased the odds of alexithymia (aOR = 4.31, 95% CI: 2.35–7.90).

Abstract

Alexithymia, defined as difficulty in identifying, describing, and expressing emotions, has gained increasing attention in populations exposed to high psychological and academic stress. Medical students represent a particularly vulnerable group due to intensive coursework, emotionally challenging clinical exposure, and the early requirement to adopt professional roles. Existing studies suggest an association between alexithymia and digital use; however, there is limited evidence in Pakistan. This study aims to determine the prevalence of alexithymia among medical students and examine its association with demographic, behavioral, and particularly social media addiction. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among undergraduate medical students across multiple medical colleges in Pakistan (n = 417). Data were collected using a self-administered online questionnaire comprising demographic variables, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and associations were assessed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of alexithymia was 29.7% (95% CI: 25–34%), with 28.8% classified as possible alexithymia. TAS-20 scores showed a moderate positive correlation with BSMAS scores (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, moderate (aOR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.25–3.53) and high social media addiction (aOR = 4.31, 95% CI: 2.35–7.90) were significantly associated with alexithymia. Physical activity ≥ 3 times per week was also associated with higher odds of alexithymia (aOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.26–5.97). Alexithymia is prevalent among medical students in Pakistan and has a strong association with social media addiction. This may indicate a potential relationship between social media use and emotional processing difficulties. For the stated results, screening, counseling, and emotional skill training is recommended.

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