The Relationship between Early Maladaptive Schemas and Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment Style in Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the relationship between early maladaptive schemas(EMS) and anxious/ambivalent attachment style in individuals with borderline personality disorder. The sampling group was consisted of 60 men and women with borderline personality disorder(BPD) qualified for entering in the research who were selected by purposeful sampling method. The data was collected by means of two questionnaires (1) Adult Attachment Inventory(AAI), and (2) Schema Questionnaire-Short Form(SQ-SF). The data was analyzed via Pearson coefficient of correlation and stepwise regression analysis. The summary of the research indicated that: 1- a significant relationship exists between the schemas of emotional deprivation, abandonment/instability, mistrust/abuse, social isolation/alienation, and defectiveness/shame schemas in adultness and anxious/ambivalent attachment of individuals with BPD. 2- stepwise regression analysis indicated that at the first step, enmeshment/undeveloped self variable has been entered into the prediction equation and expresses solely 34% of attachment style variations which is significant within P<0.001. At the second step, defectiveness/shame variable has been entered into the equation that upon entering this variable, the determination coefficient has been increased from 34 to 46%. The standard coefficient at this stage is significant within P<0.001. At the third step, emotional inhibition variable has been entered into the equation, upon entering this variable, the determination coefficient has been changed from 46% to 52% which is significant within P<0.001.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n13p231