The schema questionnaire - Short form: Factor analysis and relationship between schemas and symptoms

The original version of the Schema Questionnaire was developed by Young to measure early maladaptive schemas. These maladaptive schemas are thought to be important in the development and maintenance of psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. Factor analytic research with this 205-item version of the Schema Questionnaire has supported the schemas proposed by Young. The Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (SQ-SF) was designed (J.E. Young, 1998) to measure 15 maladaptive schemas and is a briefer (75 item) instrument. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the SQ-SF with a sample of patients in a psychiatric day treatment program. The factor analysis supported the 15 schema subscales proposed by Young. These 15 subscales demonstrated good internal consistency. The present study also examined the relationship between the SQ-SF subscales and psychiatric symptomatology. Results provided support for the construct validity of the SQ-SF, suggesting the importance of maladaptive schemas in the development and maintenance of psychiatric symptoms.