The Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas and Emotional Knowledge in Predicting Employees’ Illness Anxiety

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the role of early maladaptive schemas and emotional knowledge in predicting employees’ anxiety. The current research is of a descriptive-correlation type. The statistical population included all employees of companies (Aida Nar, Arshida, Sobh Farda and Avijeh) in Tehran from October to January 2021. Using available sampling method, 135 people were selected. The respondents filled in Young & Brown, 1994 (1994) schema questionnaire, Grant et al.’s (2002) emotional awareness, and Ahadi and Pasha’s hypochondriasis questionnaire (2001), and finally, regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The obtained findings showed that initial maladaptive schemas and emotional knowledge can predict employees’ illness anxiety (p<0.05). Accordingly, disconnection area (β = -0.37), disrupted constraint area (β = -0.24), autonomy area (0.10), Emotional self-awareness (β = 0.05), other areas of orientation (β = 0.04) and area of autonomy (β = 0.10) had the highest coefficient of influence in predicting illness anxiety, respectively. According to the results of this research, early maladaptive schemas and emotional knowledge can predict illness anxiety; hence, counselors and psychologists should prioritize early maladaptive schemas and emotional knowledge in the study of anxiety.