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Abstract
The present study examined the role of early maladaptive schemas in the development of depressive and eating disorder (ED) symptoms among college women with a history of emotional maltreatment. Participants were 996 predominately Caucasian female students who completed a questionnaire packet pertaining to the constructs of interest. Structural equation modeling analyses support a model where the relationship between emotional maltreatment and ED symptoms is indirect through the influence of schemas and depression. Although women endorsing a history of emotional maltreatment reported significant associations with multiple schema domains, the strongest association was observed between the Disconnection & Rejection domain. Although preliminary, results support the use of schema therapy with individuals endorsing a history of emotional maltreatment in an effort to ameliorate depressive and ED symptoms. Findings contribute to efforts to understand the sequelae of emotional maltreatment, arguably the most prevalent, yet understudied form of child maltreatment.