Early Maladaptive Schemas: Relationship With Case Complexity in Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Early maladaptive schemas and COVID-19 anxiety: The mediational role of mistrustfulness and vulnerability to harm and illness

BACKGROUND

Early maladaptive schemas (EMS), as lifelong psychological structures, tend to be associated with psychopathological symptomatology. Previous research has suggested that schemas act as psychological vulnerabilities to stressful life situations, such as the present worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, anxiety and psychological distress have been documented as two of the main psychological symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the associations between specific EMS and COVID-19 anxiety remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationships between EMS, COVID-19 anxiety as well as other mental health variables such as psychological well-being, distress and life satisfaction.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional design, 249 individuals (M = 34.2, SD = 12.0) completed several self-report measures.

RESULTS

EMS from different schematic domains were positively associated with COVID-19 anxiety and psychological distress and negatively associated with psychological well-being and life satisfaction. An EMS hierarchical regression model predicted COVID-19 anxiety. Mistrustfulness and vulnerability to harm and illness mediated the relationships between COVID-19 anxiety, psychological distress and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

According to these results, mistrustfulness and vulnerability to harm and illness can act as underlying variables for the decrease in mental health associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Relation of Dysfunctional Cognitive Schemas and Personality Dimensions in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Objective: This study investigated whether differences exist in the structural personality dimensions and eighteen maladaptive cognitive schemas among in- and out-patients (Clinical Group) diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and people from the general population without any psychiatric diagnostic (Control Group).

Methods: The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) sample (N = 100) included 35 (35%) men and 65 (65%) women, with a mean age of 36.4 years (SD = 10.86; age range 18-69). The control sample (N = 100), included 28 (28%) men and 72 (72%) women, with a mean age of 27.1 years (SD = 9.8; age range 19-60). Data were simultaneously analyzed with one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to measure the effect of group membership on personality dimensions and on dysfunctional cognitive schemas, controlling for participants' age. Next, univariate analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were done on each item with covariate-adjusted post-hoc comparisons.

Results: The results indicate that the Clinical Group participants had unfavorable scores on all five personality dimensions (i.e., Openness, Extraversion; Conscientiousness; Agreeability; and Emotional Stability - Neuroticism) and for almost all of the dysfunctional cognitive schemas in comparison with participants in the Control Group.

Conclusions: These results have general implications in understanding Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) clients and their personality characteristic's profile and dysfunctional/maladaptive cognitive schemas.

Early Maladaptive Schemas and Cognitive Distortions in Adults with Morbid Obesity: Relationships with Mental Health Status

Dysfunctional cognitions may be associated with unhealthy eating behaviors seen in individuals with obesity. However, dysfunctional cognitions commonly occur in individuals with poor mental health independently of weight. We examined whether individuals with morbid obesity differed with regard to dysfunctional cognitions when compared to individuals of normal weight, when mental health status was controlled for. 111 participants-53 with morbid obesity and 58 of normal weight-were assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination, Young Schema Questionnaire, Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and a Demographic and Clinical Questionnaire. Participants with morbid obesity showed higher scores in one (insufficient self-control/self-discipline) of 15 early maladaptive schemas and in one (labeling) of 15 cognitive distortions compared to participants of normal weight. The difference between groups for insufficient self-control/self-discipline was not significant when mental health status was controlled for. Participants with morbid obesity showed more severe anxiety than participants of normal weight. Our findings did not show clinically meaningful differences in dysfunctional cognitions between participants with morbid obesity or of normal weight. Dysfunctional cognitions presented by individuals with morbid obesity are likely related to their individual mental health and not to their weight.