Relationship Between Alexithymia, Smartphone Addiction, and Psychological Distress Among University Students: A Multi-country Study.

Objectives:Increasing dependence on smartphones results in the appearance of psychological problems, especially among young people. This study aims to determine the rates of alexithymia and its relationship with smartphone addiction and psychological distress in university students. Methods:A total of 2616 students (mean age = 22.5±3.5 years; 73.1% female) from universities in Egypt, Oman, and Pakistan were included in a cross-sectional and comparative study conducted through a web survey during the COVID-19 pandemic from October to December 2021. The following scales were used: Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). The survey also included questions related to sociodemographic and smartphone usage patterns.