Early Maladaptive Schemas as Predictors Symptomatology among Victims and Non-Victims of Dating Violence

Abstract

This study investigated how early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) can predict the development of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in a large sample of dating violence victims.  A total of 525 high school adolescents, aged 14 to19 years old from the metropolitan region of the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, participated in the study. Participants were divided into two groups: Group of victims of dating violence (n = 396, 60.4% female, M = 16.67 years old, SD = 1.18) and non-victims (n = 129, 52.7% female, M = 16.50 years old, SD = 1.23). The Young Schema Questionnaire for Adolescents – Brief Form, the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale for Adolescents were applied. Results indicated greater endorsement of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among victims in comparison with non-victims and among girls in comparison with boys. Dating violence victims showed higher scores in Abandonment, Mistrust/Abuse, Entitlement/Grandiosity, Self-Sacrifice, Approval/Recognition seeking, Negativity/Pessimism and Unrelenting Standards/Hypercriticalness schemas, as compared to non-victims. For female adolescents, the multiple regressions pointed out that early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) explained the variance of the depressive (36%), anxiety (28%), and stress symptoms (26%). For males, the multiple regressions indicated that EMSs explained the variance of the depressive (43%), anxiety (38%), and stress symptoms (39%). The results are discussed from the assumptions of Schema Therapy. Implications for public policy and practice are considered.