Investigating the mediating role of maladaptive schemas and emotional expression in the relationship between childhood trauma and sexual intimacy in women from low-income families

The present study was conducted with the purpose of investigating the mediating role of maladaptive schemas and emotional expression in the relationship between childhood trauma and sexual intimacy in women from low-income families.

This research was a descriptive-correlational research that was performed by structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the research included all women from low-income families under the coverage of Isfahan City Relief Committee, 209 of whom were selected by convenience sampling method and answered the questionnaires of sexual intimacy Batlani, Ahmadi and Bahrami (2010), Early maladaptive schemas Young (1994), Child Trauma Bernstein and Fink (1998), and Emotional Expressiveness of King & Emmones (1990). Research data were analyzed at two levels of descriptive and inferential statistics, especially structural equation modeling.

The findings showed that childhood trauma doesn’t significant effect on the sexual intimacy of married women in low-income families (P>0/05); but it has a significant effect on emotional expression and areas of early maladaptive schemas (P<0/01). Also, among the domains of early maladaptive schemas, only the domain of listening and inhibition has a significant direct effect on emotional expression and emotional expression also has a significant effect on sexual intimacy (P<0/01). In addition, childhood trauma has a significant indirect effect on sexual intimacy only through the domain of deafness and inhibition and emotional expression (P<0/01). On the other hand, childhood trauma affects sexual intimacy by affecting emotional expression (P<0/01).

Therefore, childhood trauma can have an effect on sexual intimacy by influencing the field of listening and inhibiting and expressing emotions. Paying attention to the mentioned factors can help improve the level of sexual intimacy of women.