Relationship between personality traits and emotional schema with loneliness in Iranian people with gender dysphoria: the mediating role of mindfulness

Abstract

Gender dysphoria affects people’s social and psychological adjustment. One dimension of social incompatibility in people with gender dysphoria is the feeling of isolation and loneliness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality traits and emotional schema with feelings of loneliness in Iranian people with gender dysphoria and the mediating role of mindfulness. Participants included 105 individuals with gender dysphoria who were asked to complete the UCLA Loneliness Scale-third version, Hexaco Personality Questionnaire, Leahy Emotional Schema Scale and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. The results showed that emotionality, extraversion, and emotional schema have a significant relationship with loneliness (p < .05). Higher correlation has been found between loneliness and extraversion (r = –0.51). The direct effect of emotional schema (β = 0.17; p = .044) and mindfulness (β = −0.36; p < .001) on loneliness were significant. Furthermore, the mindfulness factor indirectly related extraversion and emotional schemas to loneliness. Thus, emotionality, extraversion and emotional schema probably reduce, directly and indirectly, the loneliness of people with gender dysphoria through the mindfulness as a mediating factor. It can be concluded that in clinical practice, therapeutic interventions based on mindfulness and schema-oriented can possibly reduce the feeling of loneliness of people with gender dysphoria.

LAY SUMMARY

As many people with gender dysphoria, dissatisfaction with birth-assigned sex, suffer from loneliness, this study aims to look for ways to reduce this feeling of loneliness. The result shows that increasing mindfulness and reducing negative emotional schemas can help reduce the feeling of loneliness. Additionally, having extravert tendencies helps reduce such feelings, too.

Keywords:

• Gender dysphoria
• personality
• Hexaco
• loneliness
• mindfulness
• emotional schema

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hossein Shareh

Hossein Shareh, Ph.D., is an associate professor of clinical psychology in the Department of Educational Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran. He has published over 150 articles, abstracts and presentations. His research interests and recent publications are on psychotherapy methods and techniques, mood and anxiety disorders, addiction, trauma, OCD, BDD, sexual dysfunctions, paraphilia, suicide, personality, and chronic diseases (MS, diabetes…).

AmirReza Bakhshandeh Sajjad

AmirReza Bakhsandeh Sajjad, MA., received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and then graduated from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman in the field of clinical psychology. He is currently studying Ph.D. Psychology at Islamic Azad University of Shahrood. The focus of his recent research is on the emotional schema.

AmirHossein Hamedani

AmirHossein Hamedani, MA., received his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his master’s degree in clinical psychology from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. He is currently studying Ph.D Psychology at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The focus of his recent research is on the Suicide Ideation.

Bahareh Rajabi Gol

Bahareh Rajabi Gol, MA., received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s degree in clinical psychology from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Her recent research interests are in ACT, mindfulness, and emotion dysregulation.