Alcohol use disorder and emotional abuse: the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas

Objective: Studies have shown a relationship between the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and the existence of childhood traumas (CT). In this study, in order to gain a better understanding of the association between CT and AUD, the relationship between CT and AUD was analyzed. Further, it was investigated whether Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) play a mediating role in the relationship between emotional abuse (EA) and AUD. Methods: The participants were consecutively admitted male alcohol-dependent inpatients (n=220) and healthy controls (n=108). The participants were investigated with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF) and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). Mediation analyses were conducted in order to evaluate the mediating effect of EMS between the relationship of AUD and CT. Results: The difference between CT total score and the EA score between the control group and the AUD group were statistically significant. An analysis of different types of traumas in the correlation with AUD revealed EA as the main predictor of AUD both directly and through its mediating effect with the EMS. In addition, it was determined that in the relationship between EA and AUD, EMS such as Enmeshment, Emotional Inhibition, Dependence and Insufficient Self-Control had mediating effect. Discussion: CT, especially EA are quite common in male inpatients with AUD and the negative effects of EA may play an important role in the development of AUD by causing EMS. Our findings imply that those with EA history in childhood may be particularly vulnerable to the development of AUD in adulthood. Therefore, in the prevention of the development and in the treatment of AUD, it may be useful to take into consideration EA experiences, to screen EMS that may mediate such relationship through scales and to conduct interventions in this regard.