The mediating role of schema coping styles in the effect of early maladaptive schemas on psychotic-like experiences

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of schema coping styles in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and psychotic-like experiences. The sample of the study consisted of 904 literate and voluntary participants between the ages of 18 and 65. Of the participants, 71.7% were women. The mean age of the participants was calculated as (X̄ = 28.91, SD = 10.95). Participants were administered a Demographic Information Form, the Young Schema Questionnaire Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3), the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences Scale (CAPE-A), and the Schema Coping Styles Scale (SCSS). The data were analyzed using the SPSS 22 software package, and mediation analyses were conducted using Model 4 of the PROCESS macro developed by Hayes. The results of the mediation analyses revealed that certain schema coping strategies played a mediating role in strengthening the relationship between schema domains and psychotic-like experiences. The effect of the disconnection and rejection schema domain on psychotic-like experiences increased through the avoidance (β = .049, p < .05) and surrender (β = .089, p < .05) coping strategies. In the domain of ımpaired autonomy and performance, only the surrender coping strategy (β = .127, p < .05) served as a mediator. In the impaired limits domain, both the overcompensation (β = .077, p < .05) and surrender (β = .187, p < .05) strategies had a mediating role. In the other-directedness domain (β = .218, p < .05) and the overvigilance and inhibition domain (β = .154, p < .05), the surrender strategy played a role in increasing the effect. These findings suggest that schema coping strategies (avoidance, surrender, and overcompensation) strengthen the relationship between schema domains and psychotic-like experiences. It was especially observed that the surrender strategy played a significant mediating role in several schema domains and had a strengthening effect on psychotic-like experiences. If these findings are supported by large-sample cohort studies, it may be suggested that the surrender coping strategy plays an important role in the development of psychotic-like experiences and should be considered in clinical interventions. Keywords: Early Maladaptive Schemas, Psychotic-like Experiences, Schema Coping Styles