Study of the relationship between workaholism and early maladaptive schemas

Abstract

The more competitive the modern societies become, the more frequent the phenomenon of workaholism. However, although the term workaholism first appeared in 1970, there are limited studies to explore the relationship between excessive working habits and early childhood experiences. Schema - focused models of occupational stress propose that toxic childhood experience lead in the development of Early Maladaptive Schema (EMS), which determine adults relationship and career choices, through re-ecanctment process. The present study aims to explore the relationship between Early Maladaptive Schemas and workaholism and assess the EMS predictors of workaholism. The analysis was conducted in two stages. In the first stage correlational analysis was conducted to explore the EMS associated with workaholism. In the second stage, multiple regression analysis was conducted to detect the maladaptive schemas that have the capacity to uniquely predict the levels of workaholism. Results showed that the EMS of Entitlement/Grandiosity and Vulnerability to harm or illness had a significant unique contribution in predicting the level of workaholism, when controlling for the rest of variables.