comparing early maladaptive schemas and coping styles in drug dependent and non-dependent prisoners of zahedan city, iran

purpose: to compare early maladaptive schemas and coping styles in drug dependent and non-dependent prisoners of zahedan city.   materials and methods: this was an ex post facto study. the population of the study consisted of all men prisoners of zahedan prison in 2013. the participants were 240 prisoners among which 120 prisoners were selected by convenience sampling method and the rest by simple random sampling method. the variables were evaluated using young early maladaptive schema questionnaire and young coping style scale. the obtained data were analyzed by the independent t-test and statistical package for social sciences (spss) software version 16.   results: there was a difference between drug dependent and non-dependent prisoners in terms of self-regulation, impaired performance and avoidance coping style.   conclusion: since avoidance behaviors are unadjusted procedures for dealing with difficulties, intervening in these behaviors would be appropriate therapeutically. also, since coping styles strengthen early maladaptive schemas, therapeutic intervention in these behaviors can help to change these schemas.