Recent Innovations in Psychology

Recent Innovations in Psychology

The Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas in the Disconnection and Rejection Domain in Predicting Marital Intimacy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Shakila Hajibeykloo 1
Mohammadreza Tahvilian 2
1 MSc. Student in General Psychology, Hekmat Razavi Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran
2 MSc. in General Psychology, University of Sistan & Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran
10.22034/rip.2025.522113.1101
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the role of disconnection and rejection schemas in predicting marital intimacy. Using a correlational design, 102 individuals from a counseling center in Mashhad (a city in Iran) were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Schema Questionnaire- Short Form (SQ-SF) and the Couple Intimacy Inventory (MIQ). The results indicated a significant negative relationship between disconnection and rejection schemas and marital intimacy (P<0.05). Stepwise regression analysis further revealed that abandonment (β = -0.44), mistrust (β = -0.32), and emotional deprivation (β = -0.27) had a significant negative contribution to predicting marital intimacy, collectively explaining 58% of its variance. These findings suggest that early maladaptive schemas related to disconnection and rejection play a substantial role in marital intimacy, underscoring the need for schema-focused interventions in couple therapy.
Keywords
disconnection and rejection schemas
early maladaptive schemas
marital intimacy
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 07 May 2025
  • Revise Date 05 June 2025
  • Accept Date 07 June 2025
  • First Publish Date 10 June 2025