The Relationship between Differentiation of Self and Early Maladaptive Schemas with Family Performance Components among the Military Women Residing in Tehran, Iran

Research shows that the family life of those in military occupations, and the effects of military occupations on marital relationships is considered important. The present research seeks to study the relationship between differentiation of self and early maladaptive schemes with the components of family function in couples of military families residing in Tehran. The research utilized quantitative research methodologies and, based on the purpose, this study was descriptive and correlational. The research population included all married women in military families in Tehran, Iran in 2017, that among whom, 325 married housewives women were selected by non-probability convenience sampling methods after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Information gathering tools included Self-differentiation Questionnaire, Family Assessment Device (FAD), Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (SQ – SF). Descriptive statistics (average and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis) have been used for determining correlation and predictive power between the early maladaptive schemas and differentiation with family functioning. 325 married women housewives were investigated in military families in Tehran with an average age of 46.4 years. The relationship between the components of the early maladaptive schemas and the family functioning components is statistically significant (P<0.01) and also the relationship between differentiation and family functioning components in is statistically significant (P<0.01). It is recommended that families should be more careful about the formation of patterns in childhood so that positive steps can be taken to form a well-functioning family in the future. With regard to the significance of the relationship between differentiation and family function, one can conclude that the mental health of a person depends on the level of separation from this system of governing the family, which is called differentiation, that is, the higher the level of differentiation, the greater the impact on family function and on improvements in mental health in married women in military families.