Adaptive And Maladaptive Emotions, Beliefs, And Behaviors In A Low-Income Clinical Population In A Psychological Care Center In The City Of Poza Rica, Veracruz

Abstract

The distress that prompts individuals to seek psychological assistance can be observed across a range of situations, emotions, beliefs and behaviors, with each area carrying a distinct weight in the formulation of each case. Schema therapy represents a valuable approach to investigating these specific areas, as it examines the manner in which emotional distress may be influenced by maladaptive schemas and coping mechanisms that can perpetuate and maintain these psychological issues. From this perspective, clinical symptoms are considered in the context of the activation of early maladaptive schemas, which are cognitive in nature. The activation of these schemas results in the experience of intense distressing emotions, which in turn prompt the engagement in coping behaviors in response to those emotions. However, the use of these coping behaviors in excess serves to perpetuate schemas, dysfunctional behavioral patterns and, consequently, emotional discomfort. The objective of the present study was to describe the aforementioned psychological variables in a population using a care center coordinated by the Faculty of Psychology of the Universidad Veracruzana, a public institution located in the City of Poza Rica, Veracruz. The study findings indicate that men experience less emotional distress than women, which can be attributed to their more adaptive emotional responses. Women, while demonstrating higher levels of distress, also exhibit more adaptive behaviors and beliefs, which facilitate their sense of belonging. However, they also exhibit more maladaptive beliefs and behaviors, such as excessive self-demand and avoidance.