The Relationship of Early Maladaptive Schema with Depression and Social Anxiety in Older Adults

The ever-increasing growth of older population and its consequences have led aging to become a significant social issue in most societies. Old age is an unavoidable and critical period in human life, impacting all aspects of living. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship of early maladaptive schemas (EMS) with depression and social anxiety in older adults. This was a descriptive-correlational study in which 150 individuals were selected through convenience sampling from all older adults aged 60 and over living in Tehran, Iran. The measures included Young’s 75-item EMS questionnaire, Yesavage et al.’s geriatric depression scale and Connor et al.’s social anxiety questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS-28, indicating a significant direct relationship of early maladaptive schemas with both depression and social anxiety (p<0.05). The results of Pearson’s correlation test revealed that EMS of abandonment, emotional deprivation, social isolation, and failure had the strongest correlation with depression. While, EMS of perfectionism, defect/shame, social isolation, and vulnerability to harm were associated with social anxiety. Additionally, the results from multiple linear regression analysis showed that four EMS, namely abandonment, emotional deprivation, defect/shame, and emotional inhibition, were able to significantly predict depression, whereas three EMS, namely social isolation, defect/shame, and perfectionism, were proven to significantly predict social anxiety. It can be concluded that implementing preventive programs during childhood and adolescence to examine schemas and conducting comprehensive educational courses focused on schemas can serve as effective strategies for psychoeducation and improving well-being in old age.