The Role of Childhood Abuse Experience and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Predicting Impulsivity Among Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

Background: The lifelong consequences of child abuse encompasses mental health problems, to have experience of child abuse and early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), could result to impulsive behavior, in a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the role of childhood abuse experience and EMSs in predicting impulsivity among patients with psychiatric disorders in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Patient and Methods: The present research was a descriptive-analytical study. The research sample included 151 patients referring to psychiatric treatment centers. The sampling process was carried out following a pilot study, and the samples were selected from the patients who referred to psychiatric treatment centers in Zahedan from December 30, 2017 to July 29, 2018. The participants then filled out Barratt Impulsiveness scale (BIS-11), the short version of Young Schema questionnaire (YSQ), and Mohammadkhani's Child Abuse questionnaire (CASRS). The collected data was analyzed with SPSS software version 21, using descriptive statistics (i.e., frequency, mean, and standard deviation), and inferential statistics (i.e., stepwise linear regression model). Results: The result showed that there was a significant positive correlation between childhood abuse and EMSs with impulsivity. Disconnection/rejection and other-directedness could predict motor impulsiveness (F = 38.17, p < 0.001). On the other hand, cognitive impulsiveness could be predicted by neglect and disconnection/rejection (F = 18.60, P < 0.001). Impaired autonomy, performance and impaired limits were also the predictors of non-planning impulsiveness (F = 39.73, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Childhood abuse experience and EMSs may lead to inefficient interpersonal relationships, risky behaviors, self-harm, harmful behaviors towards others, and decreased mental health during an individual's lifetime.

A Multi-Faceted Evaluation of Impulsivity Traits and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa

“…From this perspective, behavioral dysregulation is the result of emotion-regulation ineffectiveness, which arises from schemas associated with disruptions in emotional engagement and experiences developed during childhood and adolescence. This theoretical model is based on several studies that have linked EMSs to emotional dysregulation in different psychiatric conditions characterized by impulsive maladaptive behaviors [40,41]. However, despite the high levels of EMSs in patients with AN and the presence of an impaired emotional regulation [2,42], no study has evaluated their role in the impulsivity facets in this specific population.…”