Developing the causal model of self-harming behavior based on attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas in students

 The purpose of this study was to develop a causal model of self-harming behaviors based on attachment styles and maladaptive schemas in students.

The research method in this study was correlational. The statistical population of this study was all secondary school students of West Azarbaijan province in the academic year 2018-19. In this study, 214 people (99 girls and 115 boys) were selected using multistage cluster sampling. Collins and Reed Attachment questionnaire, Yang early maladaptive schema questionnaire and Self-Harm Inventory (SHI) were used for data collection. Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis were used for data analysis.

Path analysis results showed that attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas had a direct and positive effect on the self-harming behavior.

These findings have important implications in the treatment and prevention of self-harm behaviors and can be predicted to be vulnerable to self-harm behaviors by identifying attachment styles, maladaptive schemas.