Mediating Role of early maladaptive schemas in relation of attachment styles and depression in students

Abstract

The goal of this study was to describe the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in relation of attachment styles and depression. The sample group in this study included 300 students from Amir Kabir and Allameh Tbatbaii university in 2012-2013 year. Data were gathered through the application of three scales: Beck depression scale, Young Schema questionnaire short form (SQ - SF) and adult attachment style (AAI). The results of the path analysis test showed the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in relation of attachment styles and depression. This analysis illustrated that secure and insecure attachment styles, both in a direct and indirect way, had a significant role in depression. The rate of the direct effect of secure attachment style on depression was -0/17 (p value <0/05) and the rate of the indirect variable through early maladaptive schemas was -0/46 (p value <0/05). Also, the rate of the direct effect of ambivalent and avoidant insecure attachment style on depression was 0/14 و 0/06 (p value <0/05) and rate of the indirect effect of these two variables through early maladaptive schemas was 0/104 و 0/14 (p value<0/05). Therefore the findings of this study showed that attachment styles through early maladaptive schemas make depression.

Keywords

• early maladaptive schemas
• depression
• attachment styles