[The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between maternal rejection and psychological...

The aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) in the relationship between perceived maternal rejection during childhood and current psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression, in Turkish university students. EMSs were categorized according to 3 schema domains; impaired limits-exaggerated standards, disconnection-rejection, and impaired autonomy-other directedness.

The study included 266 undergraduate university students (188 female and 78 male) aged 18-27 years. All the participants were administered the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3), Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (Adult PARQ: Mother).

Disconnection-rejection schema domain mediated the relationship between perceived maternal rejection during childhood and anxiety, but not depression. Furthermore, impaired autonomy-other directedness schema domain mediated the relationship between perceived maternal rejection, and both anxiety and depression.

The present findings facilitate greater understanding of the possible mechanisms by which perceived maternal rejection during childhood might affect adult psychology. Furthermore, representations of the self that are internalized during childhood are centrally connected to psychological adjustment later in life; therefore, an understanding of these internalized representations may be important for developing targeted interventions and prevention strategies for those that have experienced maternal rejection.