Relación entre parentalización, alexitimia y competencias parentales  de figuras parentales atendidas en un centro de Prevención Focalizada  del norte de Chile

Alejandra Luzmira Pastén Cortés; Susan Alejandra Galdames Cruz

doi:10.5354/0719-0581.2023.66416

Relationship between parenting, alexithymia and parenting skills of parental figures under treatment in a Focalized Prevention Center in Northern Chile

Authors

Alejandra Luzmira Pastén Cortés Universidad de La Serena https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1863-8618
Susan Alejandra Galdames Cruz Universidad de La Serena https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4672-3100

Abstract

Parental figures who are in the process of intervention in the Focused Prevention Program of the ex-Sename, present a series of psychosocial problems, including histories of domestic violence or family neglect experienced during their childhood. The present study aims to establish if there is a relationship between having suffered parentalization, presenting alexithymia and low parental competencies. The research used quantitative methodology, with a cross-sectional descriptive-relational design. The sample was purposive and following instruments were applied: Lisa Hooper's Parentalization Inventory, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the E2P Positive Parenting Scale. The caregivers who responded to the interviews (about one or more children) were 120, of whom 35 (29%) were men and 85 (71%) women, all of them in the process of intervention in the Focused Prevention Program in a sector of the city of Coquimbo. Statistical analyses included descriptive, correlation and logistic binary regression models. The results show a significant inverse predictive effect indicating that the presence of difficulty in identifying emotions (a dimension of alexithymia) and having been parentalized in childhood predicts that bonding, protective and reflective parenting competencies will be at risk. This could shed light on one of the mechanisms by which neglectful parental care is reproduced in the family.

Keywords:

parentalization, alexithymia, parenting skills

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