The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress in the Relations of Early Maladaptive Schemas and Negative Emotion Regulation to the Tendency to High-Risk Behaviors in Students

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of psychological distress in relations of early maladaptive schemas and negative emotion regulation to the tendency to high-risk behaviors (including substance and alcohol use) in students. Method: The present study was descriptive-correlational of structural equation modeling type. The statistical population included all secondary high school students in Miandoab in 2019-2020 (n=4779). A sample of 399 students was selected using Slovenchr('39')s formula by multi-stage cluster random sampling. Participants completed the early maladaptive schema questionnaire, the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire, the Iranian adolescentschr('39') risk-taking scale, and the psychological distress scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling. Results: The results showed that early maladaptive schemas and negative emotion regulation had significant direct effects on high-risk behaviors (including substance and alcohol use). Also, early maladaptive schemas and negative emotion regulation had significant indirect effects on high-risk behaviors through psychological distress. Conclusion: In general, the research findings showed that by increasing psychological distress, early maladaptive schemas and negative emotion regulation can cause the emergence and maintenance of the tendency to high-risk behaviors in adolescents, especially substance and alcohol use which are more common in this group.