Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Schema Mode Inventory for Eating Disorders (SMI-ED) in a disordered eating population.Method: 573 participants with disordered eating patterns as measured by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) completed the 190-item adapted version of the Schema Mode Inventory (SMI). The new SMI-ED was developed by clinicians/researchers specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, through combining items from the original SMI with a set of additional questions specifically representative of the eating disorder population. Psychometric testing included Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and internal consistency (Cronbach's α). Multivariate Analyses of Covariance (MANCOVA) was also run to test statistical differences between the EDE-Q subscales on the SMI-ED modes, while controlling for possible confounding variables.Results: Factorial analysis confirmed an acceptable 16-related-factors solution for the SMI-ED, thus providing preliminary evidence for the adequate validity of the new measure based on internal structure. Concurrent validity was also established through moderate to high correlations on the modes most relevant to eating disorders with EDE-Q subscales. This study represents the first step in creating a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring schema modes in eating disorders, and provides greater insight into the relevant schema modes within this population.Conclusion: This research represents an important preliminary step toward understanding and labeling the schema mode model for this clinical group. Findings from the psychometric evaluation of SMI-ED suggest that this is a useful tool which may further assist in the measurement and conceptualization of schema modes in this population.
Highlights
Schema Therapy (ST) was developed to address long-standing psychological disorders and entrenched personality traits (Young et al, 2003), and a growing number of studies have demonstrated its effectiveness (Masley et al, 2012; Jacob and Arntz, 2013; de Klerk et al, 2016)
This study represents the first step in creating a psychometrically sound instrument for the assessment of schema modes in Eating Disorders (EDs), and provides greater insight for the conceptualization and treatment of this population
This measure was comprised of a hybrid of 117 items from the original Schema Mode Inventory (SMI) with 73 new eatingdisorder-specific items relating to schema modes
Summary
ST is based on the notion that Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) develop as a result of the interaction between temperament and unmet core emotional needs during childhood. Whereas EMS refer to stable “traits,” schema modes represent the moment-to-moment “states” and coping responses that we all experience. Schema modes are traditionally grouped into four main categories: (1) Innate Child Modes, that represent the emotions experienced in the context of unmet needs; (2) Internalized/Introject [Parent] Modes, which represent the internalized messages from childhood, including parents, teachers, other caregivers, and culture; (3) Coping Modes, which are the survival mechanisms developed during childhood and adolescence to cope with unmet emotional needs, and (4) Adaptive (Healthy) Modes. In ST, the emphasis is on developing healthy coping mechanisms that facilitate the process of developing adaptive ways of meeting one’s interpersonal and emotional needs, whilst weakening maladaptive modes and associated EMS (Young et al, 2003)
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