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Variations in Early Maladaptive Schemas Among College Students Reveal Opportunities for Targeted Psychological Interventions

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— 2 min read

According to a recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers from Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, People's Republic of China, have identified three distinct profiles of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) among college students. These profiles were characterized by varying levels of self-compassion, perceived social support, and psychological flexibility. The study suggests that these findings provide a theoretical basis for developing targeted psychological interventions aimed at enhancing self-compassion, strengthening social support, and improving psychological flexibility.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify subgroups of EMSs among 1,184 college students in Northwest China.
  • Three distinct profiles of EMSs were identified: low, moderate, and high, with significant differences in disconnection and rejection, impaired autonomy and performance, impaired limits, and other-directedness and over-vigilance and inhibition.
  • The high EMS profile was associated with lower levels of self-compassion, perceived social support, and psychological flexibility.
  • Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that gender, grade level, self-compassion, perceived social support, and psychological flexibility predicted profile membership in the expected directions.
  • The study's findings provide a theoretical basis for developing targeted psychological interventions aimed at enhancing self-compassion, strengthening social support, and improving psychological flexibility.
  • The study includes 1,184 college students from universities in Northwest China, with 47.3% male and 52.7% female participants, and 58.1% freshmen, 21.4% sophomores, 12.8% juniors, and 7.7% seniors.
  • The study's lead author, Sicen Zhang, is a researcher at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine's School of Public Health.
  • Additional authors on the study include Quandong Liu, Menglu Jia, Qiuying Zhang, and Lixia Zhang.

Statistics:

  • 1,184 college students participated in the study.
  • 47.3% of participants were male and 52.7% were female.
  • The study included 58.1% freshmen, 21.4% sophomores, 12.8% juniors, and 7.7% seniors.
  • The high EMS profile had significantly higher scores in disconnection and rejection, impaired autonomy and performance, impaired limits, other-directedness and over-vigilance and inhibition compared to the moderate and low EMS profiles.
  • The low EMS profile had the lowest scores across all domains.

Sources:

  • "The predictive roles of self-compassion, perceived social support, and psychological flexibility in early maladaptive schemas among college students: an exploration based on latent profile analysis." Frontiers in Psychology, 2025,16. (Frontiers in Psychology - http://frontiersin.org/psychology)
  • NewsRx. Reports Outline Psychology Research from Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine (The predictive roles of self-compassion, perceived social support, and psychological flexibility in early maladaptive schemas among college students: an ...). Health & Medicine Week. September 19, 2025; p 4369.

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