Early maladaptive schemas in misophonia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective The study aimed to identify early maladaptive schemas that may be characteristic of individuals with misophonia. Method A sample of 289 individuals were recruited from social media websites. Participants responded to the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form, which assesses early maladaptive schemas (EMS), and the New York Misophonia Scale, a two-part self-report instrument rating the severity of emotional distress to misophonic triggers and the nature of behavioural reactions to misophonic triggers. Gender differences in the study variables were first examined using a series of univariate analysis of variance. To test the relationship between features of misophonia and EMS, correlation coefficients were calculated. Multiple regression analyses were then conducted by including age, gender and YSQ-SF scores as predictors and misophonic distress, aggressive reactions, and non-aggressive reactions as outcomes. Results Results revealed that higher insufficient self-control EMS was a common predictor of all aspects of misophonia, while higher age, female gender and higher social isolation/alienation EMS were predictive of the aversive emotional reactions in misophonia. Higher dependence and unrelenting standards EMS were specific predictors of non-aggressive reactions while dependence and vulnerability to harm or illness EMS were specific predictors of aggressive reactions to misophonic triggers. Conclusions Findings imply that schema therapy may be an effective intervention to alleviate misophonic distress.