Alaftar İ, Uzer T. Understanding intergenerational transmission of early maladaptive schemas from a memory perspective: Moderating role of overgeneral memory on adverse experiences.
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022;
127:105539. [PMID:
35151211 DOI:
10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105539]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Previous studies demonstrated that early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are transmitted from mothers to children through adverse childhood experiences, such as maltreatment and unfulfilled core needs. The traumatic memory literature demonstrated that people with a history of trauma recall their traumatic and/or other negative experiences as categories of events-a phenomenon called overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM)-to avoid the accompanying intense negative feelings. In the long run, OGM originating from an affect-regulation process after childhood traumatic experiences can facilitate the development of EMSs in children.
OBJECTIVE
This study expands the previous literature by studying whether OGM facilitates the transmission of EMSs by strengthening maladaptive thinking patterns after traumatic experiences.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS
A total of 120 mothers and late adolescents participated in this study. The mothers filled out the forms online through a link sent to their e-mail addresses, and the adolescents completed the forms online through a link posted on social media.
METHOD
Late adolescents completed the Autobiographical Memory Recall Task, Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form-3 (YSQ-SF3), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Mothers filled out the YSQ-SF3 and BDI.
RESULTS
The results confirmed that adverse childhood experiences significantly mediated the relationship between mothers' and children's disconnection and rejection schemas. Furthermore, this relationship was stronger, especially for children with a higher tendency of overgeneral retrieval of negative experience (β = 0.26 (0.10), 95% CI [0.09, 0.49]).
CONCLUSIONS
The present study provides evidence that OGM facilitates the transmission of early maladaptive schemas.
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