A growing number of studies among adolescents have reported early maladaptive schemas (EMS) to associate with anxiety and depression within non-clinical samples. However, there is a gap of knowledge concerning clinical populations.

The current study’s aim was to explore the potential association between EMS domains and anxiety and depressive symptoms within clinical sample of adolescents.

The current study included 176 adolescent psychiatry out-patients. The EMS domains were measured with the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 2-Extended (YSQ). Their association with anxiety symptoms (the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale) and depressive symptoms (the Beck Depression Inventory II) were analysed with general linear models while controlling for significant confounding factors.

Depressive symptoms were associated with three of the four EMS domains: Disconnection and Rejection (η2p=0.047, p=0.005), Impaired Autonomy and Performance (η2p=0.074, p<0.001), and Impaired Limits (η2p=0.053, p=0.003). Anxiety symptoms were associated with two EMS domains: Impaired Autonomy and Performance (η2p=0.046, p=0.005) and Excessive Responsibility and Standards (η2p=0.054, p=0.002).

Various EMS domains were associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms among adolescent out-patients. Further studies are needed on the effect of EMSs on the treatment outcomes for depression and anxiety.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is prevalent behaviour among adolescents. Although there are different etiological models of NSSI, there is a general lack of evidence-based, comprehensive and transdiagnostic models of NSSI in adolescents.

The aim of this study was to investigate a model of transdiagnostic factors of NSSI in adolescents, testing a serial mediation model of the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMS), distress tolerance and NSSI through experiential avoidance and rumination.

A community sample was identified of 1014 adolescents aged 13–17, of whom 425 had a history of NSSI. A serial mediation path analytic method was utilised to examine the relationships between NSSI and its associated functions as criterion variables, EMS and distress tolerance as predictors, experiential avoidance as the first mediator and rumination as the second mediator.

The path analytic model fit indices were good (X2/d.f. = 2.25, goodness of fit index = 0.98, normed fit index = 0.97, comparative fit index = 0.98, root mean square error of approximation = 0.054, standardised root mean squared residual = 0.028). Rumination significantly mediated the relationship between schemas of ‘vulnerability to harm’, ‘emotional deprivation’, ‘social isolation’, ‘insufficient self-control’, and NSSI frequency and intrapersonal functions. In serial fashion, experiential avoidance mediated the role of rumination in the relationship between social isolation, and insufficient self-control and NSSI frequency and intrapersonal functions. All indirect effects were significant.

Key indirect effects were found linking maladaptive schemas and distress tolerance to NSSI frequency, and NSSI intrapersonal functions via experiential avoidance and rumination. Thus, it is important to address these transdiagnostic factors with particular emphasis on the sequential mediating role of experiential avoidance and rumination in conceptualisation and therapeutic interventions for NSSI.

Prior research has partially verified the significance of child temperament and styles of upbringing for schema intensity. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the inter-relations between them.

The present study examined how temperament (stable and labile) and style of parenting (positive and negative) are related to each other, and to early maladaptive schemas.

Participants (395 healthy adults) completed the Young Schema Questionnaire YSQ-S3 and the Retrospective Assessment of Parents’ Attitudes and Formal Characteristic of Behaviour – Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI). Structural equation modelling was used to verify hypotheses.

Temperament and parental styles together explain more than 59% of the variance of schema intensity. The obtained path coefficients show one-way directions of inter-relations. Stable temperament connects to schemas directly with a negative path coefficient. Labile temperament shows a significant positive association with negative parental attitudes, but not directly with schemas. Negative parenting is positively connected with schemas. A positive style of parenting is not significantly connected with temperament and schemas.

Results show evidence that negative style of parenting and labile temperament features are more important for schema developing and may be treated as risk factors. Because temperament seems to be a relatively persistent feature, it may play a similar role in adulthood, reinforcing emotions and feelings in the context of environment, and then maintain the schemas.

The aim of this study was to compare early maladaptive schemas, emotion regulation and general health in offender prisoner men and normal group men.

The study method was causal – comparative (ex post facto). Participants included two groups: (1) all of offender prisoner men (n = 47) in Fooman jail and (2) normal group men (n = 47) in Fooman. Both groups were matched for age, occupation and education. All of the participants completed Young maladaptive schema questionnaire (Y MSQ), cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ-P) and general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) individually. Data were analysed using independent t-test and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

There was significant difference between two groups in total score of early maladaptive schema questionnaire and also in its subscales included abandonment, impaired autonomy/performance, impaired limits, other – directedness, over vigilance/inhibition, emotional inhibition (P < 0/01). The general health was different between groups, too. In addition, while groups showed significant difference in total score of emotion regulation and one of the subscales (rumination), no significant difference was explored between groups in self-blame, acceptance, positive refocusing, planning refocusing, positive re-evaluation, perspective taking, catastrophizing and others blame.

Significant differences between the two groups in terms of general health, schema dimensions and emotional regulation dimensions suggest that dysfunctional schemas, maladaptive emotional strategies and low general health could be involved in criminal behaviour.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.