Early Maladaptive Schemas as Predictors of Interpersonal Orientation and Peer Connectedness in University Students

Abstract

In this study we examined whether or not early maladaptive schemas regarding disconnection and rejection influenced peer connectedness of university students in emerging adulthood. We also investigated the mediating role of interpersonal orientation on these relationships. The participants were 304 students at universities in Korea, aged between 18 and 25 years.Results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that the defectiveness/shame schema had an indirect, negative effect on peer connectedness via interpersonal orientation, and the abandonment/instability schema had an indirect, positive influence on peer connectedness. The social isolation/alienation schema negatively and directly affected peer connectedness. Our findings suggest that when a sense of disconnection and rejection develops during childhood and adolescence, individuals show a relatively stable tendency to either avoid or overvalue interpersonal relationships. This may lead to difficulties in establishing peer relationships in emerging adulthood.The transition to adulthood has become more demanding over the past several decades, and emerging adults (those aged 18 to 25 years) are struggling to attain the markers of adulthood, such as completing higher education, settling into a career, and developing social networks and close relationships (Arnett, 2000; SOCIAL

The relationship between early maladaptive schemas and interpersonal problems: A meta‐analytic review

“…This formula accounts for dependence between effect sizes when averaging scores that are correlated with one another based on the sample size and estimated correlation between constructs or subscales. To estimate the correlation between individual EMS scores and domains for the present study, the correlations between individual EMS scores and domains were extracted from all studies where they were reported (Atkins, 2017; Calvete & Orue, 2010; Calvete, Corral, & Estévez, 2007; Calvete, Fernandez‐Gonzalez, Gonzalez‐Cabrera, & Gamez‐Guadix, 2018a; Campbell, 2002; Carlucci et al, 2018; Clifton, 1994; Dunne, Gilbert, Lee, & Daffern, 2017; Estévez, Ozerinjauregi, & Herrero‐Fernández, 2016; Farr, 2010; Gay et al, 2013; Hassija, Robinson, Silva, & Lewin, 2018; Janovsky, Clark, & Rock, 2019; McKee et al, 2012; Messman‐Moore & Coates, 2007; Mojallal et al, 2015; Munroe, 2014; Shorey et al, 2015; Stiles, 2004; Yoo, Park, & Jun, 2014). Based on the extracted correlations between all available individual EMS scores and domains, the correlations were averaged to produce an estimated correlation between individual EMS scores ( r = .45) and EMS domains ( r = .60) for use in the formula.…”

“…Approval/recognition seeking and punitiveness failed to reach statistical significance despite having a small to moderate correlation coefficient (Table 3). One explanation for these findings is that EMSs of approval/recognition seeking and punitiveness were only recently added to the YSQ and, as a result, were not measured by the majority of studies included in this meta‐analysis (Braet, Van Vlierberghe, Vandevivere, Theuwis, & Bosmans, 2013; Dunne et al, 2017; Esmaili et al, 2016; Hassija et al, 2018; Messman‐Moore & Coates, 2007; Roelofs, Lee, Ruijten, & Lobbestael, 2011; Thimm, 2013; Yoo et al, 2014). The limited number of studies found that measured EMSs of approval/recognition seeking and punitiveness may have limited the degree of statistical power available to detect significant associations for these particular EMSs and interpersonal problems.…”

“…Overall, most of the studies in this meta‐analytic review used a cross‐sectional design (Table 2). Fifteen of these cross‐sectional studies claimed that there was a causal effect of EMSs on interpersonal problems, measuring mediation effects with EMSs, interpersonal problems, and one other variable of interest (Atkins, 2017; Balsamo et al, 2015; Calvete et al, 2007; Calvete, Fernandez‐Gonzalez, et al, 2018a; Calvete & Orue, 2010; Carlucci et al, 2018; Estévez et al, 2016; Figueredo et al, 2018; Gay et al, 2013; Gilbert et al, 2013; Janovsky et al, 2019; LaMotte et al, 2016; Messman‐Moore & Coates, 2007; Roelofs et al, 2011; Tezel et al, 2015; Yoo et al, 2014). Although there is a strong theoretical rationale to support mediation research in a cross‐sectional design arguing that EMSs develop throughout childhood and lead to interpersonal problems in adulthood, Young et al (2003) also argued that significant relationships in adulthood can affect the development, endorsement, and maintenance of EMSs.…”

“…Second, some researchers focused exclusively on specific EMS domains or EMSs (Alba et al, 2018; Calvete et al, 2015; Calvete, Fernandez‐Gonzalez, et al, 2018a; O'Connor et al, 2018; Yoo et al, 2014) omitting other potentially relevant EMSs from analysis. This decision to focus on specific EMSs or domains may, at least in part, relate to the length of the YSQ and the large number of EMSs providing issues for statistical analysis.…”

Trait mindfulness mediates the relationship between early maladaptive schema and interpersonal problems

“…Some correlational studies have found EMS to be associated with self‐reported interpersonal problems and lower relationship satisfaction (Esmaili, Mohammadi, & Hakami, ; Mojallal et al, ; Thimm, ). In addition, students scoring high in EMSs in the rejection domain reported reduced interest and value in social interaction and lower closeness in relationships with their peers (Yoo, Park, & Jun, ). Couples seeking divorce have also been found to report higher endorsement of EMSs when compared to ordinary couples (Yoosefi, Etemadi, Bahrami, Fatehizade, & Ahmadi, ).…”