Factors associated with fear of intimacy among a representative sample of the Lebanese population: The role of depression, social phobia, self-esteem, intimate partner violence, attachment, and maladaptive schemas

Purpose To assess fear of intimacy (FOI) in the Lebanese population, and its correlates such as depression, social phobia, self-esteem, attachment, and maladaptive schemas. Design/Methods This cross-sectional study, conducted between November 2017 and May 2018, enrolled 707 community-dwelling participants. Results Higher FOI scores were associated with an increase in the defectiveness schema (beta = 0.483), social phobia score (beta = 0.16), mistrust schema (beta = 0.519), vulnerability schema (beta = 0.482), emotional deprivation schema (beta = 0.548), attachment style D (dismissing) (beta = 0.913) and failure schema, whereas lower FOI was significantly associated with an increase in the entitlement schema (beta = -0.362), insufficient schema (beta = -0.377), and the self-esteem score (beta = -0.288). Practice Implications Implementing educational programs are needed to enable persons to develop healthy intimate relationships, taking into account attachment styles and inappropriate early schemas.