The Relationship Between Alexithymia and Criminal Aggression: A Chain Mediating Effect Through Loneliness and Anxiety

Within prison settings, incarcerated individuals exhibit complex and specific psychological profiles. Statistical data indicate a prevalence rate of alexithymia exceeding 30% in this population. At the same time, various forms of aggressive behavior among inmates significantly impact on prison management and criminal rehabilitation. The purpose of our research is to explore the relationship between alexithymia and criminal aggression, and to examine the chain-mediated role of loneliness and anxiety in the influence of alexithymia on criminal aggression. A sample of 500 inmates from a prison in S Province, China, completed questionnaires including the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (ULS), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). The results indicated that alexithymia, loneliness, anxiety, and criminal aggression were significantly positively correlated with each other(r = 0.376 ~ 0.575,p ≤ 0.01). Three significant mediation pathways were identified: (1) the independent mediating role of loneliness; (2) the independent mediating role of anxiety; and (3) the chain mediation pathway through loneliness and anxiety sequentially. The 95% confidence intervals for the multiple mediating effects were [0.004,0.151], [0.231,0.250], [0.053,0.150], The effect sizes were 7.732%, 32.035%, 9.250%. Results indicated that alexithymia is significantly positively correlated with criminal aggression; loneliness works as an independent mediator between alexithymia and criminal aggression; anxiety works as an independent mediator between alexithymia and criminal aggression; loneliness and anxiety work as chain mediators between alexithymia and criminal aggression.