title: The Intervening Role of Alexithymia in the Relationship between Attachment Styles and Test Anxiety among Gifted High School Students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the importance of test anxiety among gifted students, the present study was conducted to assess the intervening role of alexithymia in the relationship between test anxiety and attachment styles.
  
  
  METHODS
  By means of simple random sampling, 300 participants were selected out of all the students at two high schools in Khorramabad, which are affiliated with the Iranian National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (SAMPAD). Test anxiety, alexithymia, and attachment style questionnaires were used for data collection. Pearson correlation and path analysis tests were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a positive relationship between test anxiety and avoidant and anxious attachment styles. Alexithymia and test anxiety were also positively related. Moreover, the results indicated that 12% of changes in test anxiety were explained by avoidant and anxious attachment styles as well as alexithymia. The relationship between the avoidant attachment style and test anxiety was 0.06 through alexithymia. However, no significant relationship between anxious attachment and test anxiety through alexithymia was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The avoidant attachment style leads to test anxiety when the level of alexithymia increases in an individual.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Esfandiar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sepahvand
authors.affiliation: Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zakiei
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Keivan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rafieian
authors.affiliation: Department of Curriculum Development, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roumani
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komasi
authors.affiliation: Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Soheyla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reshadat
keywords: Alexithymia; Attachment Style; Test Anxiety