Prediction of Social Adjustment based on Early Maladaptive Schemas and Social Skills

Abstract

This research aimed at the prediction of social adjustment based on early maladaptive schemas and social skills. In this research, 133 subjects, all were inhabitants of Tehran and were selected by the convenient method, responded to online questionnaires including Bell Adjustment Questionnaire (BAI), Young Early Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire (YEMSQ), and Matson Evaluation Social Skill with Youngsters (MESSY). The LISREL and SPSS-22 softwares and the methods of Pearson correlation and Structural equation modeling were used for data analysis. Results showed that early maladaptive schemas in five areas (disconnection & rejection, impaired autonomy & performance, impaired limits, other-direction, and overvigilance/ inhibition) were correlated reversely with social adjustment. Social adjustment also was correlated positively with social skills. Applying the structural equation modeling showed that social adjustment is predictable based on early maladaptive schemas and social skills. Out of the schemas, two areas of impaired limits (-0.69) and impaired autonomy & performance (-0.53) have the most negative impact on social adjustment. Social skills, as the second strongest variable, have the highest positive impact on social skills, after impaired autonomy & performance. The results were explained in the context of the theory of early maladaptive schemas, and some points were suggested regarding an increase in social adjustment.

Keywords

• early maladaptive schemas
• social adjustment
• social skills
• structural equation modeling (sem)