The Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Relation Between Early Maladaptive Schemas and Spouse Abuse

Objectives This study aimed to examine the mediating role of the cognitive emotional regulation in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and spouse abuse. Methods In a descriptive-correlational study, a total of 324 people (226 females, 98 males) from married men and women residing in Tehran in 2018, were selected by using accidental sampling method. Participants completed the STRAUSS & ASSOCIATES Conflict Resolution Tactics Questionnaire- Revised (CTS-2), the Short Form of Young Scale Questionnaire (YSQ-SF), and the GARNEFSKI, KRAAIJ, & SPINHOVEN Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) with AMOS software. Results The results of structural equations showed that direct significant paths were found from Early Maladaptive Schemas to Emotional Regulation, and from Emotional Regulation to Spouse abuse. There were also significant indirect paths from the first, second, & third domains of early maladaptive schemas to spouse abuse mediated by negative emotional regulation with respectively coefficients of 0.13, 0.16, and 0.13. Also, evaluation of the hypothesized model showed that this model has suitable fitness indices (x2/dF=1.595, RMSEA=0.045, CFI=0.953). Conclusion Based on the findings of this research, it can be concluded that the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and spouse abuse is not a linear and simple relationship and the cognitive regulating of emotions has a mediator role in this relation.