Early maladaptive schemas as mediators between child maltreatment and dating violence in adolescence

Abstract This study investigated the association between exposure to child maltreatment and dating physical violence in the affective-sexual relationship among adolescents (n =397, 14-19 years). A mediation model was conducted to determine whether these associations can be mediated by early maladaptive schemas (EMS), from the Schema Therapy’s theoretical approach. Also, it sought to verify the invariant model by gender. The results showed that teen dating violence perpetrators with a history of child maltreatment had significantly higher scores in the perpetration of intimate violence than adolescents with no history of maltreatment. Disconnection and rejection realm schemas were mediators between exposure to child maltreatment and dating physical violence in adolescence, and this model was adequate to females. The clinical implications of these findings were also discussed.

摘要 本研究以397名14至19岁的青少年为研究对象，探讨了儿童虐待暴露与青少年恋爱亲密关系中肢体约会暴力之间的关联。基于图式疗法（Schema Therapy）的理论框架，本研究构建中介模型，以检验早期适应不良图式（Early Maladaptive Schemas, EMS）是否在上述关联中发挥中介作用。此外，本研究还验证了该模型的性别不变性。研究结果显示，有儿童虐待史的青少年约会暴力施暴者，其亲密关系暴力施暴得分显著高于无虐待史的青少年。情感疏离与拒绝领域的早期适应不良图式在儿童虐待暴露与青少年约会肢体暴力之间起到中介作用，且该模型在女性群体中适配良好。本研究最后讨论了上述发现的临床应用价值。