Associations of Autistic Traits with Early Maladaptive Schemas byJ. Young
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12923/2353-8627/2025-0005Keywords:
early maladaptive schemas, autism spectrum disorders, autistic traitsAbstract
Introduction: Associations between the severity of autistic traits and variables such as early maladaptive schemas (EMS) have not been widely studied to date. The purpose of this study is to evaluate differences in the intensity of individual EMS between individuals with and without a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to examine whether higher intensity of autistic traits in the ASD group is accompanied by higher intensity of individual early maladaptive schemas.
Material and methods: The study involved 102 individuals with a mean age of 18 – 49 years (mean age: M = 29.47; SD = 7.79), including 51 individuals with an ASD diagnosis and 51 individuals not treated for Axis I or II mental disorders. The respondents were asked to fill in the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Test, the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3-PL), and a sociodemographic questionnaire.
Results: The median score for the AQ Test, which measures the intensity of autistic traits, was 30.14 (for the group of participants with an ASD diagnosis). Those with an ASD diagnosis scored higher in four of the five domains of early maladaptive schemas. The exception was the Other-Directedness domain. The respondents with an ASD diagnosis also scored higher on most EMS. Statistical significance was found for two schemas, i.e., Social Isolation/Alienation (p=0.0002*) and Emotional Inhibition (p=0.015). Statistically significant correlations between the intensity of autistic traits and EMS refer to the following domains (from the strongest relationship to the weakest): Overvigilance/Inhibition, Disconnection/Rejection, and Impaired Autonomy and Performance. Among the individual schemas, the order from the strongest relationship to the weakest was as follows: Social Isolation/Alienation, Emotional Inhibition, Unrelenting Standards/Hypercriticalness, Dependence/Incompetence, Vulnerability to Harm or Illness, Absolute strictness /Punitiveness, Negativity/Pessimism, and Defectiveness/Shame.
Conclusions: 1. In comparison to the control group , individuals with ASD diagnosis present significantly higher intensity of the following two early maladaptive schemas: Social Isolation/Alienation and Emotional Inhibition. 2. The intensity of autistic traits in the group with ASD diagnosis is correlated with both the intensity of the domains and schemas relating specifically to social isolation and emotional reactions.
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