The predictive effects of emotion regulation difficulties and early maladaptive schemas on alcohol use in young adults

The aim of this study is to examine the predictive effects of emotion regulation difficulties and early maladaptive schemas on alcohol use in young adults. The sample of the study consists of 291 participants. Voluntary Participation Form, Demographic Information Form, Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were performed to the participants. Correlation and regression analyses on the data were used to evaluate the relationships between the variables. According to the results of the study, it is seen that the model established for the effect of difficulties in emotion regulation and early maladaptive schemas of young adults on alcohol use is significant. The independent variables of the study which are difficulty in emotion regulation and early maladaptive schemas explain 24% of the variance in alcohol use level. It was found that the openness dimension of emotion regulation difficulty and early maladaptive schemas; approval-seeking, privilege/insufficient self-control, self-sacrifice, and imperfection independently predict alcohol use level. The findings were discussed in the light of the literature and suggestions were given.