Childhood maltreatment has been linked to subsequent social avoidance, revictimization, and perpetration of aggression in young adult relationships, although the mechanisms through which this occurs are unclear. One possible underlying mechanism is early maladaptive schemas, which are defined as enduring dysfunctional core beliefs that one has about himself/herself, others, and himself/herself in relation to others. The current study examined maladaptive schemas as a mediator of the relation between cumulative childhood maltreatment and subsequent perpetration of aggression, revictimization, and social avoidance and distress in young adulthood. Based on existing theoretical literature, I hypothesized that cumulative childhood maltreatment (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect) and exposure to family violence would each be positively associated with subsequent perpetration of aggression (i.e., physical, verbal, indirect, and sexual aggression), victimization (i.e., physical, verbal, indirect, and sexual aggression), and social avoidance and distress in young adulthood. In addition, I expected that maladaptive schemas in the Impaired Limits domain (i.e., entitlement/grandiosity, insufficient self-control/self-discipline), and the individual schemas of mistrust/abuse and emotional inhibition would mediate the relations of cumulative childhood maltreatment and exposure to family violence to perpetration of aggression. Conversely, I expected that maladaptive schemas in the domains of Disconnection/Rejection (i.e., abandonment/instability, mistrust/abuse, emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, social isolation/alienation) and Other-Directedness (i.e., subjugation, self-sacrifice), as well as the individual schema of emotional inhibition, would mediate the relations of cumulative childhood maltreatment and exposure to family violence to victimization. Finally, I expected that maladaptive schemas in the Disconnection/Rejection domain (i.e., abandonment/instability, mistrust/abuse, emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, social isolation/alienation) would mediate the relations of cumulative childhood maltreatment and exposure to family violence to social avoidance and distress.
Five hundred sixty-three undergraduate students, 76 Facebook users, and 76 members of online support groups completed retrospective, anonymous online surveys assessing childhood maltreatment, as well as their current maladaptive schemas and experiences of social avoidance, revictimization, and perpetration of aggression. Consistent with hypotheses, higher levels of cumulative childhood maltreatment and exposure to family violence were both related to higher levels of perpetration of physical, verbal, indirect, and sexual aggression, as well as physical, verbal, indirect, and sexual victimization. Cumulative childhood maltreatment and exposure to family violence were also both related to higher levels of social avoidance and distress.
There were several significant findings for mediation effects of maladaptive schemas. Highlights included: 1) Maladaptive schemas in the Impaired Limits domain mediated the effect of cumulative childhood maltreatment on perpetration of aggression, including sexual perpetration of aggression. 2) Maladaptive schemas in the domains of Disconnection/Rejection and Other-Directedness mediated the effect of cumulative childhood maltreatment on revictimization, but not sexual revictimization. 3) Maladaptive schemas in the Disconnection/Rejection domain mediated the effect of cumulative childhood maltreatment on social avoidance and distress.
These results have implications for understanding underlying mechanisms through which childhood maltreatment contributes to adverse long-term interpersonal problems and suggest that maladaptive schemas may be a valuable focus for interventions attempting to assist individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment and/or exposure to family violence.