Childhood emotional maltreatment and aggression: the mediator role of the early maladaptive schema domains and difficulties in emotion regulation

Abstract

The association between childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) and aggression is an empirically and theoretically supported finding. Both early maladaptive schema (EMS) domains and difficulties in emotion regulation (DER) have been examined as mediators on this relationship in the literature. However, past research has not evaluated the roles of EMS domains and DER simultaneously on the relationship between CEM and aggression. In an attempt to fill this gap in the literature, we conducted this study in Turkey to examine EMS domains and DER together as the mediators in the relationship between CEM and aggression in adulthood. The sample consisted of 291 participants (n(female) = 204; n(male) = 87). The mean age was 22.96 years (SD = 5.62). All variables were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Mediation analyses were conducted via PROCESS and INDIRECT macro. Findings indicated that disconnection, unrelenting standards and impaired autonomy schema domains, and DER total score and the impulse subscale score mediated the relationship between CEM and aggression in adulthood. The current findings draw attention to EMS domains and DER that link CEM and aggression in adulthood.