Prediction of Alexithymia Based on Primary Maladaptive Schemas with the Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract Considering the high prevalence and negative effects of borderline personality disorders on the affected person and the society, the importance of knowing more about this disorder and identifying the factors and predicting variables of these disorders is felt. The present study was conducted with the aim of predicting alexithymia based on primary maladaptive schemas with the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in patients with borderline personality disorder. It is an applied, cross-sectional, quantitative and descriptive correlational study. The statistical population was patients with borderline personality disorder Who Referred to counseling centers in Hamedan city from February 2022 to the end of May 2022. Based on the formula of Fidel and Tabachnig (2007), the sample was 107 people and increased to 120 people as a precaution. The sampling method was available and targeted. The research tools were three alexithymia questionnaires by Bagby, Parker and Taylor (1994), Yang's primary maladaptive schemas (1999) and Garnevsky and Kraij's (2006) cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Path analysis method was used to test the hypothesis. The results showed that the gamma pathway is significant in the field of cut and rejection, impaired self-management and performance, and excessive tinnitus/inhibition to alexithymia. The gamma path from impaired limitations to mediating variables of positive emotional regulation and the gamma path from cut and rejection, impaired limitations and other orientations to mediating variables of negative emotional regulation are significant. The beta pathway from positive emotional regulation pathway as well as negative emotional regulation pathway is significant to alexithymia. Early maladaptive schemas and negative emotion regulation strategies can cause alexithymia in people with borderline personality disorder.Keywords: Alexithymia, Primary Maladaptive Schemas, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies, Borderline Personality Disorder