Predicting Alexithymia based on Early Maladaptive Schemas and Perfectionism Mediating the Role of Cognitive Flexibility in Patients with Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain is a weakening condition which not only exposes the person suffering to stress due to pain, but also encounters him or her with continuous tension and influences various aspects of his or her life and disturb it. The aim of the study, was prediction of Alexithymia based on early Maladaptive Schemas and Perfectionism with the Mediating role of Cognitive Flexibility in people with Chronic Pain. For this purpose, from the patients with Chronic Patients who have referred to Tehran hospitals, 300 people were chosen be convenience sampling and assessed regarding Alexithymia, Early Maladaptive Schemas, Perfectionism, and cognitive flexibility. Results of route analysis showed Cognitive Flexibility with the rate of 0.23 has negative effect on Alexithymia (p < 0.05). Among the areas of early Maladaptive Schemas, only the area of disrupted limitations in explanation of Alexithymia variance has 0.13 positive effect (p < 0.01). Another finding of the study showed that Maladaptive Perfectionism has the rate of -0.279 effect in explanation variance of Alexithymia (p < 0.01); and Adaptive Perfectionism in explanation of Cognitive Flexibility variance, has effect with the rate of 0.139 (P < 0.05). Ultimately, indirect effect of Adaptive Perfectionism with the effect rate of -0.035 on Alexithymia through Cognitive Flexibility is meaningful (P < 0.05).