13th Annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference Early Maladaptive Schema Domains and Risky Behaviors Among University Students By Zahra Zabolipour, Ph.D. student Fatemeh Sabouripour, Ph.D. student University of Barcelona

Overview Introduction Literature Review Research Objective Research Hypothesis Methodology Results Conclusions Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

Introduction Higher education is considered as the critical period of transition from high school to adulthood in which, students have to deal with developmental challenges and various stressors. They are likely to employ risky behaviors as a method to alleviate negative emotions.

Risky Behaviors Actions with unknown consequences that have negative effects on health, quality of life and/or life expectancy. Risky Sex Substance Use Smoking Alcohol Consumption Suicide Violence

Early maladaptive schemas On the other hand, research has indicated that there is a relationship between: Early maladaptive schemas Risky Behaviors

Early Maladaptive Schemas An early maladaptive schema is a broad, pervasive theme or pattern comprised of: memories, emotions, cognitions, and bodily sensations regarding oneself and one’s relationships with others, is developed during childhood or adolescence, elaborated throughout one’s lifetime, is dysfunctional to a significant degree.

Early Maladaptive Schema Domains and Their Subsets Disconnection and Rejection abandonment/ instability mistrust/abuse emotional deprivation defectiveness/shame social isolation/alienation Impaired Autonomy and/or Performance dependence/ incompetence vulnerability to harm or illness enmeshment/ undeveloped self failure Impaired Limits entitlement/ grandiosity insufficient self-control and/ or self-discipline Other-Directedness subjugation self-sacrifice approval-seeking/ recognition-seeking Over vigilance/ Inhibition negativity/ pessimism emotional inhibition unrelenting standards/ hyper criticalness punitiveness

Literature Review 2011 Schemas in the disconnection/rejection domain were more frequently significant predictors of risky sexual behaviors. 2015 The mistrust/abuse, dependence/incompetence, subjugation, and insufficient self-control/self-discipline schemas predict the tendency to drug abuse. 2018 Specific schema domains differentially predicted variance in risky sex, illicit drug use, heavy drinking, and aggressive/illegal behaviors for each gender.

Early Maladaptive Schema Domains Research Objective To investigate the relationship between Early Maladaptive Schema Domains disconnection and rejection impaired autonomy and performance impaired limits other-directedness Over vigilance/inhibition Risky Behaviors cigarette smoking alcohol drinking suicidal thoughts and attempts drug and substance use risky sex violence

Research Hypothesis There is a relationship between early maladaptive schema domains and risky behaviors in Iranian students.

Methodology Research Design Descriptive Correlational Population All students of all undergraduate programs in the faculty of Management and Accounting at Allameh Tabataba'i University in Tehran, Iran. Population multi-stage cluster sampling Sampling Method 200 undergraduate students Sample 1) Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF) 2) Risky Behavior’s Questionnaire (adult’s version) Instruments

Methodology Data Analysis Variables Skewness Kurtosis Mean SD Disconnection and rejection schemas 1.038 1.217 58.36 19.67 Impaired autonomy and/or performance schemas 1.257 0.297 41.41 16.76 Impaired limits schemas -0.309 -0.057 31.84 8.65 Other-directedness schemas 0.853 23.94 9.28 Over vigilance/inhibition schemas 0.163 0.047 28.96 8.73 Risky behaviors -0.775 148.74 20.28

Results All early maladaptive schema domains were significantly positively correlated with risky behaviors (p<0.01). The correlation between disconnection and rejection schemas and risky behaviors was the strongest one.

Individuals who have higher scores in the Young Schema Questionnaire, have more risky behaviors. Conclusions Early maladaptive schemas in disconnection and rejection domain are more related to the engagement in risky behaviors.

Limitations Future Research Utilizing multi-stage cluster sampling Investigating 5 domains of schemas, instead of 18 early maladaptive schemas Limitations To consider 18 maladaptive schemas To employ other sampling methods Future Research

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