PSIHOLOŠKA NEFLEKSIBILNOST KAO MEDIJATOR ODNOSA IZMEĐU RANIH MALADAPTIVNIH SHEMA I MANIFESTACIJA DEPRESIVNOSTI, ANKSIOZNOSTI I STRESA

Abstract

Although the link between Early Maladaptive Schemas and many psychopathological manifestations has been confirmed, there is still not enough research examining the mechanism by which this link is realized. The aim of this study was to examine whether psychological inflexibility could be a mediator of the relationship between early maladaptive schemas grouped in schema domains and problems in current functioning, manifested through depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. Among the instruments used were the Young’s Schema Questionnaire, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales. The sample included 320 subjects (Nfemales = 215; M = 33.5; SD = 9.6). The results indicate significant connections of psychological inflexibility with all scheme domains and all criterion variables, with this connection being the strongest in relation to depression (r = .74, p < .01) and autonomy impairment domain (r = .74, p < .01). Schema domains are important predictors of criterion variables, provided that the highest percentage of explained variance is in relation to depression. Psychological inflexibility has been shown to be a partial mediator of all relations between all schema domains and manifestations of depression, anxiety and stress. Although schema domains still have a significant direct effect on psychopathological manifestations, in the case of impaired limits when it comes to anxiety (b = .045; p<.05, 95% BCa CI [.03, .05]) and depression (b = .06, p<.05, 95% BCa CI [.04, .07]) the difference between the indirect and direct effect is most evident, while in the case of stress the greatest difference between the effects is in relation to the domain of autonomy impairment (b = .07, p < .05, 95% BCa CI [.05, .08]). The implications for the integration of schema therapy and third wave cognitive-behavioral therapy are discussed. Keywords: early maladaptive schemas, schema domains, psychological flexibility, depression, stress, anxiety