Psychological constructs such as attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas play a significant role in the quality of interpersonal relationships and the emergence of psychological problems. The present study aimed to examine the role of various schema modes and attachment styles in relation to emotional abuse. This research was a descriptive and multivariate correlational type, and the instruments used included Young’s Schema Questionnaire, Hazan and Shaver’s Attachment Style Questionnaire, and Jacobsen and Gottman’s Emotional Abuse Questionnaire. The statistical population of the research consisted of all students at Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, during the 2024–2025 academic year. The sample size was determined based on the rule of 15 observations per predictor variable, and given the existence of 17 subscales, 255 participants were selected. Findings have showed that All schema modes have a significant correlation with emotional abuse at the 0.01 level. Emotional abuse was significantly related to secure, avoidant, and ambivalent attachment styles at the 0.01 level. Secure attachment was negatively associated with emotional abuse, whereas insecure ambivalent attachment had a positive effect. Through schema modes, the schema modes of “vulnerable child”, “undisciplined child”, “compliant surrender”, “detached protector”, “detached self-soother” and “punitive parent” showed positive effects on emotional abuse. In contrast, the schema modes of “happy child” and “healthy adult” were negatively associated with emotional abuse.
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
Special Received: 2025/06/27 | Accepted: 2025/08/30 | Published: 2025/09/1