Relationships between primal emotional systems and the sense of loneliness: The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas
- 1Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Lodz, Poland
Abstract
Background: Within Panksepp’s neuroaffective theory, emotional–motivational systems constitute the biological basis for individual differences in the experience and regulation of emotions, which may be related to loneliness. At the same time, these systems may be associated with the formation of early maladaptive schemas which – according to Young’s concept – affect interpersonal functioning. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between emotional–motivational systems and the sense of loneliness, and to determine whether early maladaptive schemas statistically mediate these relationships. Materials and methods: The study involved 323 participants aged 18 to 66 years (mean age: M = 26.9). The following instruments were used: the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA), the Brief Form of the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (BANPS), and the Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form (YSQ-S3-PL). Results: All maladaptive schemas, schema domains, and systems – except for the SEEKING system – were significantly associated with the sense of loneliness. The strongest associations were observed for the SADNESS / PANIC / SEPARATION DISTRESS and FEAR systems. Emotional–motivational systems were also associated with early maladaptive schemas, with the strongest relationships found for four systems: SADNESS / PANIC / SEPARATION DISTRESS, FEAR, RAGE, and PLAY. Schema domains showed significant statistical mediation in the relationships between primal emotional systems and loneliness, except for the SEEKING system, where no mediation effect was found. The primary mediator in the tested relationships was the Disconnection/Rejection domain. Conclusions: The findings suggest that early maladaptive schemas related to unmet needs for belonging, love, and relational safety are associated with the relationships between primal emotional systems and loneliness. In particular, the Disconnection/Rejection schema domain emerged as the most prominent statistical mediator in the analyzed models.
Related
- Relationship between autistic traits, emotional symptoms and adverse life events in Chinese adolescents: mediating effects of resilience
- Exploring the structural relationships between soft skills, emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility, and self-directed learning in the digital age: A cross-sectional PLS-SEM study of female students of king Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
- Evolution of primate vocal repertoires: vocal systems as embodied capital for mediating within-group conflict
- A dynamical systems model of emotional contagion: Oscillatory coupling in the circumplex of affect
- Electrophysiological Correlates of Maladaptive Daydreaming: An Exploratory Resting-State EEG Study
BibTeX
@article{talarowskadublicka2026relationships,
title = {{Relationships between primal emotional systems and the sense of loneliness: The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas}},
author = {Monika Talarowska-Dublicka and Aleksandra Gapińska and Maria Finogenow},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358449},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358449},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Relationships between primal emotional systems and the sense of loneliness: The mediating role of early maladaptive schemas
AU - Monika Talarowska-Dublicka
AU - Aleksandra Gapińska
AU - Maria Finogenow
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/15
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358449
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358449
AB - Background: Within Panksepp’s neuroaffective theory, emotional–motivational systems constitute the biological basis for individual differences in the experience and regulation of emotions, which may be related to loneliness. At the same time, these systems may be associated with the formation of early maladaptive schemas which – according to Young’s concept – affect interpersonal functioning. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between emotional–motivational systems and the sense of loneliness, and to determine whether early maladaptive schemas statistically mediate these relationships. Materials and methods: The study involved 323 participants aged 18 to 66 years (mean age: M = 26.9). The following instruments were used: the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA), the Brief Form of the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (BANPS), and the Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form (YSQ-S3-PL). Results: All maladaptive schemas, schema domains, and systems – except for the SEEKING system – were significantly associated with the sense of loneliness. The strongest associations were observed for the SADNESS / PANIC / SEPARATION DISTRESS and FEAR systems. Emotional–motivational systems were also associated with early maladaptive schemas, with the strongest relationships found for four systems: SADNESS / PANIC / SEPARATION DISTRESS, FEAR, RAGE, and PLAY. Schema domains showed significant statistical mediation in the relationships between primal emotional systems and loneliness, except for the SEEKING system, where no mediation effect was found. The primary mediator in the tested relationships was the Disconnection/Rejection domain. Conclusions: The findings suggest that early maladaptive schemas related to unmet needs for belonging, love, and relational safety are associated with the relationships between primal emotional systems and loneliness. In particular, the Disconnection/Rejection schema domain emerged as the most prominent statistical mediator in the analyzed models.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -