Journal of

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This study examined the role of emotional ambivalence and control of mothersin anxiety of children and adolescents with cancer. The population of this study was 8 to 17 years old children and adolescents with cancer under active treatment who were in pediatric hospital (inpatient or outpatient) in Tehran. The sample is 102 children and adolescents with cancer (56 boys and 46 girls) and their mothers. Emotional Control Questionnaire (ECQ) and Ambivalence over Emotional Expression (AEQ) for mothers and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) for sick children were used. Data analyses revealed that children whose mothers were high in emotional ambivalence reported higher level of anxiety. But significant relation between emotional control of mothers and children’s anxiety were not found. Also, result of hierarchical regression analysis showed that mother’s emotional ambivalence and control do not account any changes in children’s anxiety. However, child’s gender modifies the relationship between mother’s emotional ambivalence and control. It seems child’s sex in the relationship between mother’s emotional ambivalence and control, and child’s anxiety, may contribute to perceived social support which can lead type of adjustment with cancer and high or low anxiety

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The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between attachment styles, ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and Alexithymia. In the academic year 2012-2013, 300 female high school students of Avaj city participated in this study and they completed Attachment Style, Ambivalence over Emotional Expressiveness questionnaire and Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Results showed that there was a negative significant relationship between Alexithymia and secure attachment style and avoidant attachment style and that there was a positive relationship between Alexithymia and anxiety attachment style and ambivalence over emotional expressiveness. Ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and anxiety attachment style were predicators of difficult changes in identifying the emotion and Ambivalence over expressiveness and secure attachment style was predicator of the variance of difficulty in describing the emotion. 11% of the externally oriented thinking variance was explained by Ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and anxiety attachment style. Also 21% of the Alexithymia variance was explained by Ambivalence, anxiety and secure attachment styles. In order to prevent Alexithymia, in addition to strengthening the safety features of the attachment, it is needed to enhance the ability to regulate the emotions to overcome the ambivalence over emotional expressiveness.