University Students’ Early Maladaptive Schemas’ Prediction of Their Mindfulness Levels

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine whether university students’ early maladaptive schemas predict their mindfulness levels or not. Method: The study was carried out in the relational screening model. The study group consisted of 293 university students; 237 (80,9%) females and 56 (19,1%) males. “Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)”, developed by Brown and Ryan (2003) and adapted into Turkish by Özyeşil, Arslan, Kesici and Deniz (2011), and “Young Schema Scale-Short Form 3” developed by Young et al. (2003) and adapted into Turkish by Soygüt, Karaosmanoğlu and Çakır (2009) were used to gather the data for the study. Results: According to the results obtained from the study, it was found out that there is a significantly negative relation between the mindfulness and the schemas, except for the punitiveness and unrelenting standards. However, defectiveness and pessimism schemas were found to be the predictors of university students’ mindfulness levels. Conclusion: Preventing early maladaptive schemas from being triggered off is necessary in order to increase the mindfulness levels of the students. Parents need to avoid negative parent attitudes that trigger off the existence of early maladaptive schemas for the sake of this preventive study. The parents need to meet their children’s needs within realistic limits. Especially psychological needs need to be met moderately. The needs need to be met within realistic limits regularly and in a balanced way.

Key words: Mindfulness, Early maladaptive schemas, Awareness and Schema

Note: This study was presented as an oral presentation in the 2^nd Eurasian Congress on Positive Psychology