The current study's goal was to examine the multivariate patterns of associations
between schema modes and emotion regulation mechanisms in personality disorders. Schema
modes are either integrated or dissociative states of mind, including intense emotional
states, efforts to regulate emotions, or self-reflective evaluative thought processes.
Exploring the multivariate patterns of a shared relationship between schema modes
and emotion regulation strategies may lead to a better understanding of their associations
and a deeper understanding of the latent personality profiles that organize their
associations in a mixed personality disorder sample.Patients who have personality
disorders (N = 263) filled out five different self-report questionnaires, out of which
four measured adaptive and maladaptive emotion-regulation strategies (Cognitive Emotion
Regulation Questionnaire, Difficulty of Emotion Regulation Scale, Five Factor Mindfulness
Questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale), and the fifth one assessed schema modes (Schema
Mode Inventory). We conducted canonical correlation analysis in order to measure the
multivariate patterns of associations between the 26 emotion regulation and the 14
schema mode subscales.We found strong multivariate associations between schema modes
and emotion regulation strategies. Collectively, the full model based on all canonical
variate pairs was statistically significant using the Wilks's Λ = .01 criterion, F
(364,2804.4) = 3.5, p < .001. The first two canonical variate pairs yielded interpretable
squared canonical correlation (Rc2) effect sizes of 74.7% and 55.8%, respectively.
The first canonical variate pair represents a general personality pathology variable
with a stronger weight on internalization than externalization, and bipolarity in
terms of adaptive vs. non-adaptive characteristics. We labeled this variate pair "Adaptive/Non-Adaptive."
The second canonical variate pair, labeled "Externalizing", represents externalizing
schema modes and emotion regulation strategies.Using a multivariate approach (CCA),
we identified two independent patterns of multivariate associations between maladaptive
schema modes and emotion regulation strategies. The Adaptive/Non-Adaptive general
personality pathology profile and the Externalizing personality pathology profile
may lead to a deeper understanding of personality disorders and help psychotherapists
in their conceptualization in order to design the most appropriate interventions.
