The mediating role of early maladaptive schemasin the relationship between childhood traumas and somatization

This research was carried out to determine the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between childhood traumas and somatization. Within the scope of the research, it was also examined whether the childhood traumas of individuals differed significantly in terms of gender, income level and number of siblings. The research group consists of individuals between the ages of 18-45 who reside in Istanbul and do not have a chronic disease. A total of 367 individuals (272 women, 95 men) participated in the study. Demographic Data Form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form, and Somatization Scale were used to obtain research data. According to the results of this study somatization symptoms were positively correlated with CTQ-total scores (r=.37; p<.01), sexual abuse (r=.35; p<.01), physical abuse (r=.34; p<.01), emotional neglect (r=.32; p<.01), physical neglect (r=.31; p<.01), and emotional abuse sub-dimension scores (r=.22; p<.01). CTQ-emotional abuse sub-dimension scores were positively correlated with YSQ-SF-disconnection (r=.26; p<.01), and impaired autonomy schema domain scores (r=.12; p<.05). There was a positive correlation between CTQ-physical abuse sub-dimension scores and YSQ-SF-disconnection (r=.31; p<.01) and impaired autonomy schema domain scores (r=.17; p<.01). CTQ-sexual abuse sub-dimension scores were positively correlated with YSQ-SF-disconnection (r=.41; p<.01), impaired autonomy (r=.30; p<.01), other-directedness (r=.22; p<.01), impaired limits (r=.14; p<.01) and unrelenting standards schema domain scores (r=.11; p<.01). CTQ-physical neglect sub-dimension scores were positively correlated with YSQ-SF-impaired limits (r=.54; p<.01), disconnection (r=.42; p<.01), impaired autonomy (r=.29; p<.01), unrelenting standards (r=.20; p<.01), and other-directedness schema domain scores (r=.19; p<.01). CTQ-emotional neglect sub-dimension scores were positively correlated with YSQ-SF-disconnection (r=.40; p<.01), impaired autonomy (r=.31; p<.01), impaired limits (r=.14; p<.01), and other-directedness schema domain scores (r=.13; p<.05). CTQ-total scores were positively correlated with YSQ-SF-disconnection (r=.43; p<.01); impaired autonomy (r=.27; p<.01), impaired limits (r=.12; p<.05), and other-directedness (r =.11; p<.05) schema domain scores. Impaired autonomy, disconnection, unrelenting standards, and other directedness schema domains had a partial mediator role in the relationship between CTQ-total scores and somatization. Impaired limits had no mediating role in the correlation between CTQ-total scores and somatization. CTQ-physical abuse and emotional neglect scores were higher in males. CTQ-sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect and CTQ-total scores did not differ across genders. CTQ-physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, and CTQ-total scores did not show any statistical difference with regards to income level. CTQ-emotional abuse, physical abuse, and CTQ-total scores differed significantly with regards to the number of siblings. CTQ-emotional abuse scores were higher in partcipants with no siblings compared to participants with 1 sibling. Individuals with 2 or more siblings had higher CTQ-physical abuse and CTQ-total scores compared to those with 1 sibling. CTQ-sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect scores did not differ with regards to number of siblings.