Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 57(4), Aug 2026, 261-270; doi:10.1037/pro0000685
This study investigates the complex relationships among assertiveness, trait anxiety, and early maladaptive schemas in a sample of 1,025 Greek adults. Assertiveness, defined as a communication style based on expressing needs and feelings honestly while respecting others, was assessed using the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. Trait anxiety, characterized by a persistent tendency to experience anxiety in various situations, was measured through the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Early maladaptive schemas—deeply rooted cognitive–emotional patterns formed during childhood or adolescence—were evaluated using the Young Schema Questionnaire–Short Form 3. Using structural equation modeling, the hypothesized relationships were confirmed. Results indicated that the entitlement/grandiosity schema positively affected assertiveness, while trait anxiety, emotional inhibition, and subjugation negatively influenced assertiveness. Furthermore, several early maladaptive schemas, including negativity/pessimism and abandonment/instability, were found to positively influence trait anxiety. These findings indicate that targeting core maladaptive schemas may help reduce emotional distress and facilitate self-expression in individuals with low assertiveness and high trait anxiety. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)