The study aimed to identify the mediating role of rumination in the relationship between
the dimensions of alexithymia and body image among first-year students at Sultan
Qaboos University. The descriptive approach was used, and the sample consisted of
375 first-year students at Sultan Qaboos University, who were selected in the
available way. The study tools included three scales: the body image scale, the
Toronto scale for alexithymia, and the rumination scale. The results indicated that
there are direct statistically significant effects of the dimensions of alexithymia on
rumination of thoughts. The results indicated that the dimension of identifying emotions
is the most influential, and the dimension of external orientation in thinking is the least
influential. The results of the current study also indicated that there is a direct, positive
and statistically significant effect of rumination of thoughts on the body image. The
results indicated the impact of some dimensions of alexithymia on the body image in
a statistically significant manner, specifically the dimensions of identifying emotions
and the difficulty of describing emotions. The dimension of identifying emotions was
the most influential. The results showed that the two dimensions of alexithymia
(identifying emotions, difficulty describing emotions) had an indirect and statistically
significant impact on the body image through the intermediate variable (rumination of
thoughts).