The mediating roles of defense mechanisms and perceived social support in the relationshi̇p between early maladapti̇ve schemas and emotional distress tolerance

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of defense mechanisms and perceived social support in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and tolerance to emotional strain in emerging adulthood. 481 emerging adults aged 18-25 participated in the study. Socio-demographic information form, Young Schema Scale Short Form 3 (YŞS-SF3), Defense Styles Test-40 (SBT-40), Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and Emotional Distress Intolerance Scale were applied to the participants. The findings showed that the level of intolerance to emotional strain was positively related to early maladaptive schemas. It was also examined whether perceived social support had a mediating role in the relationship between the disconnection and rejection schema domain of early maladaptive schemas and emotional strain in emerging adulthood. It was concluded that perceived social support had a mediating role in the relationship fault schema and intolerance to emotional strain. Another research question in the study is whether defense mechanisms have a mediating role in the relationship between the five basic areas of early maladaptive schemas and intolerance to emotional strain in emerging adulthood. It has been found that there is a mediating relationship between each of the schema areas of disconnection, impaired autonomy, damaged boundaries, other-directedness, and high standarts and immature defense mechanisms. The sample of the research consists of participants in the emerging adulthood period. There is no study in the literature that focuses on the emerging adulthood period, when there is a possibility of frequently encountering life events that may cause emotional strain, and that investigates early maladaptive schemas and intolerance to emotional strain. It is thought that examining the role of defense mechanisms and perceived social support in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and emotional strain tolerance in emerging adulthood may provide important guidance for coping with individual problems that may arise in this period. It is thought that psychotherapy studies for individuals with early maladaptive schemas can be effective in improving mental health, help improve the individual's tolerance level to emotional strain, raise awareness in the conscious use of defense mechanisms, and help create a strong social support network.