Sport Psychology Studies

Sport Psychology Studies

Relationship between Early Maladaptive Schemas and Emotional Divorce in Professional Female Athletes: The Mediating Role of Interactional Damages and Sacrificial Behaviors

Document Type : Original research

Authors
Jaleh Bagherli 1
Yadollah Azadi 2
Samaneh Akbari 3
1 Department of Motor Behavior, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
2 Department of Physical Education, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran.
3 MS in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Malard Branch, Islamic Azad University, Malard, Iran.
10.22089/spsyj.2026.17961.2566
Abstract
Objectives: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and emotional divorce in professional female athletes and examining the mediating role of interactional damages and sacrificial behaviors.
Methods & Materials: 
This research was applied in terms of objective and descriptive-correlational in terms of method. The statistical population of this study consisted of all professional female athletes in Karaj, from which 308 individuals were selected through convenience sampling. The research instruments included the Emotional Divorce Scale (Mohammadi et al., 2017), the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (Young, 1998), the Interpersonal Interactional Damages Questionnaire (Pashaei et al., 2021), and the Perceived Sacrifice Scale (Harper & Feigurs, 2008). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed model, and the structural model fit was examined using fit indices via SPSS-24 and AMOS-24 software.
Results: 
The results of structural equation modeling indicated that emotional divorce is significantly predicted based on early maladaptive schemas through the mediating role of interactional damages and sacrificial behaviors in professional female athletes (P<0.01). Specifically, all five schema domains—disconnection and rejection, impaired autonomy and performance, other-directedness, overvigilance and inhibition, and impaired limits—demonstrated significant indirect effects on emotional divorce via interactional damages and sacrificial behaviors.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that early maladaptive schemas play a significant role in the occurrence of emotional divorce in professional female athletes by influencing interactional damages and sacrificial behaviors. Therefore, designing psychological interventions specific to sports environments with a focus on schema modification and improving interpersonal interactions can contribute to enhancing mental health and the stability of marital relationships in these athletes.
Keywords
Interactional Damages
Sacrificial Behaviors
Maladaptive Schemas
Emotional Divorce
Athlete
Subjects
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Sport Psychology Studies
Volume 15, Issue 55
Spring 2026
Pages 84-104

  • Receive Date 18 April 2025
  • Revise Date 01 July 2025
  • Accept Date 30 August 2025