The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in relation between attachment styles and marital satisfaction

Abstract: One of the most important factors affecting marital satisfaction is early childhood experiences with parents. These experiences have an important role in developing attachment and early maladaptive schemas. The present study was performed to investigate the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in relationship between attachment styles and marital satisfaction. A total of 333 participants (194 women and 139 men) completed the Hazan and Shaver''s Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ)، Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and Enriching and Nurturing Relationship Issues، Communication and Happiness (ENRICH). The results showed that there is no significant relationship between avoidant-attachment style and marital satisfaction، but marital satisfaction had significant positive relationship with secure attachment style and significant negative relationship with ambivalent-attachment style. Also، the early maladaptive schemas mediate these relationships. Based on the results of the present study it can be concluded that individuals who have more secure attachment style develop more positive concept of self، as the result، they have less maladaptive schemas. So they follow more adaptive behaviors and less maladaptive behaviors in their marital relationships، therefore they will experience more marital satisfaction. In contrast، the individuals who have more insecure and ambivalent attachment style have more negative concept of self، therefore they own more maladaptive schemas about self، hence more maladaptive behaviors and less marital satisfaction.