Azadfar Zahra, Rossi Gina, Dierckx Eva, Duenas Jesse, Diaz-Batanero Carmen, Schoevaerts Katrien, Peuskens Hendrik, Santens Els, Pauwels Els, Haekens An, Baetens Kris
Brussels University Consultation Center, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology & Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
Brussels University Consultation Center, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology & Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium; Personality and Psychopathology Research group, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology & Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
Child Abuse Negl. 2025 Feb;160:107238. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107238. Epub 2025 Jan 3.
Early maladaptive schemas are well-established mechanisms between childhood maltreatment (i.e., abuse and neglect) and psychopathology in adulthood. However, research has not yet examined the unique contribution of childhood maltreatment, while controlling for the family dysfunction-related experiences, in shaping specific EMS domains and their associations with distinct psychopathological outcomes.
Our aim was to examine the unique role of childhood maltreatment, while controlling for the effects of family dysfunction on early maladaptive schemas and subsequently on personality disorders and psychological distress using structural equation modelling and network analysis.
A total of 2,011 unique inpatients aged 18 to 80 years (M = 39.7, SD = 14.18; 53.4% women) admitted to the Alexianen Zorggroep Tienen Psychiatric Hospital between 2011 and 2021 were included in this study. Self-report questionnaires were completed as part of the hospital admission process. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and network analysis.
The results showed positive associations between childhood maltreatment, family dysfunction, early maladaptive schema domains, symptoms of personality disorders, and psychological distress. Accounting for the effects of family dysfunction-related experiences, early maladaptive schema played a significant mediating role in the association between childhood maltreatment and psychopathological outcomes. The results highlighted the central role of the domains disconnection/rejection and impaired autonomy/performance for personality disorders and psychological distress. There were no significant gender-specific differences in the network of relationships between the variables.
These results demonstrate the key role of EMS in the domains of disconnection/rejection and impaired autonomy/performance in the association between childhood maltreatment and personality pathology and psychological distress in psychiatric inpatients. Clinical implications, study limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
早期适应不良图式是童年期虐待（即虐待和忽视）与成年期精神病理学之间已确立的机制。然而，在控制与家庭功能障碍相关的经历的情况下，研究尚未考察童年期虐待在塑造特定早期适应不良图式领域及其与不同精神病理结果的关联方面的独特作用。
我们的目的是使用结构方程模型和网络分析，在控制家庭功能障碍对早期适应不良图式以及随后对人格障碍和心理困扰的影响的情况下，考察童年期虐待的独特作用。
本研究纳入了2011年至2021年间入住亚历克西安嫩佐尔格罗普蒂嫩精神病医院的2011名年龄在18至80岁之间的独特住院患者（M = 39.7，SD = 14.18；53.4%为女性）。作为住院流程的一部分，完成了自我报告问卷。使用结构方程模型和网络分析对数据进行分析。
结果显示童年期虐待、家庭功能障碍、早期适应不良图式领域、人格障碍症状和心理困扰之间存在正相关。在考虑与家庭功能障碍相关的经历的影响后，早期适应不良图式在童年期虐待与精神病理结果之间的关联中起显著中介作用。结果突出了脱节/拒绝和自主/表现受损领域在人格障碍和心理困扰方面的核心作用。变量之间的关系网络中没有显著的性别差异。
这些结果证明了早期适应不良图式在童年期虐待与精神病住院患者的人格病理学和心理困扰之间的关联中，在脱节/拒绝和自主/表现受损领域的关键作用。讨论了临床意义、研究局限性以及对未来研究的建议。
