The mediating role of insecure-ambivalent attachment style in the effect of perceived maternal rejection on abandonment and emotional deprivation schema in women

The present study was carried out to assess the mediating effect of insecure attachment styles in the effect of perceived maternal rejection on abandonment and emotional deprivation schema in women. The sample consisted of 102 women aged 20 to 45 years old. Sampling was done by convenience method. Participants completed the early maladaptive schemas scale - short form (Young, 1998), the adult attachment style (Hazen & Shaver, 1978) and the parental acceptance-rejection/control questionnaire (Rohner, 1991). A series of mediation analyses were conducted by regression analysis and Sobel test to test the hypothesis. The results showed that among insecure attachment styles, insecure-ambivalent attachment style mediates the effect of perceived maternal rejection on abandonment and emotional deprivation schema. This study develops our understanding of the mechanisms through which interactions with parents in the early years of life contribute to the development of early maladaptive schemas, and expands our understanding of effective therapeutic mechanisms based on attachment-driven theories.