A influência dos esquemas iniciais desadaptativos e da desregulação emocional nos comportamentos antissociais de adolescentes

Abstract

This doctoral thesis analyzed the influence of early maladaptive schemas and emotional dysregulation on adolescents’ antisocial behavior from Ceará. Early Maladaptive Schemas are constructs presented by Schema Therapy that represent cognitive structures developed during the childhood based on the interaction with parents/relatives/caregivers, non-satisfaction of basic emotional needs and exposure to traumatic experiences. Emotional dysregulation, or difficulties in emotional regulation, includes deficits in emotional awareness and understanding, in the acceptance of emotions, in the ability to control impulsive behavior in face of negative emotion and in the ability to use flexible emotional regulation strategies coherent with personal goals and situational demands. Regarding antisocial behaviors, those that go against the rules and norms in a specific cultural context, they are understood as behavioral patterns that affect the adaptation and social functioning of individuals. The non-probabilistic sample was composed by 119 adolescents, aged between 12 and 17 years old (M = 14.85; SD = 1.44), female (55.9%), residents in Fortaleza (71.4%). The participants completed a questionnaire including of the following instruments: Schema Questionnaire for Adolescents, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Antisocial Behavior Scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Data collection took place in person, through prior appointment with those responsible for the adolescents. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, t tests for independent and paired samples, Pearson correlations, simple and multiple linear regression were performed using SPSS 21. The results confirmed the hypotheses 1, 2 and 4. In summary, there were significant correlations between the central constructs (schematic domains, emotional dysregulation, and antisocial behaviors); in terms of multiple linear regression, the results refuted hypothesis 3, indicating no significant impact of the five schematic domains on antisocial behaviors. Regarding difficulties in emotional regulation, it was shown that they are configured as antecedents for antisocial behavior (criterion variable). The importance of this research is recognized since adolescence is an important stage of human development in building maladaptive schemas, difficulties in emotional regulation and antisocial behaviors. Considering some limitations, it is suggested to conduct future studies that include new data collection to expand data analysis and consider other instruments to assess, for example, experiences with parental figures and the schema modes that represent coping strategies.