Arabic Version of the Leahy Emotional Schemas Scale-II
,
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to translate the Leahy Emotional Schemas Scale-II (LESS-II) into Arabic and validate its psychometric properties among Iraqi university students. The hypothesis was that the Arabic version would retain the original factor structure and demonstrate robustness and validity.
Method: The process involved translation, cultural adaptation, backward translation, and the bilingual method to ensure linguistic and cultural relevance. The sample consisted of 280 Iraqi university students (64% female, 36% male). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted to assess the factor structure. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest methods.
Results: EFA identified a 14-factor structure aligned with Leahy’s model, accounting for 91.83% of the total variance. CFA confirmed a good model fit (RMSEA = 0.08, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.90). The total scale’s reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.82, with test-retest reliability at 0.87. Pearson correlations indicated significant relationships between LESS-II factors, anxiety, and depression, supporting construct validity.
Conclusion: The Arabic LESS-II was established as a valid and reliable tool for assessing emotional schemas. However, the study's reliance on a nonclinical sample limits generalizability. Future research should validate the scale in diverse and clinical populations, highlighting its potential utility in Arabic-speaking contexts for both research and clinical practice.
1. Leahy RL. Emotional schema therapy: A meta‐experiential model. Australian Psychologist. 2016;51(2):82-8.
2. Anayurt A, Yalçın İ. Investigation of relations between emotion regulation, early maladaptive schemas, cognitive flexibility, and rumination. Kastamonu Education Journal. 2021;29(4):194-204.
3. Leahy RL. A model of emotional schemas. Cogn Behav Pract. 2002;9(3):177-90.
4. Beck A, Steer R. Manual for the revised beck depression inventory San Antonio. TX: Psychological Corp. 1987.
5. Baldwin MW. Relational schemas and the processing of social information. Psychol Bull. 1992;112(3):461.
6. Leahy RL. Emotional schema therapy. И ПСИХОТЕРАПИЯ. 2016;46.
7. Leahy RL. Resistance: An emotional schema therapy (EST) approach. Cogn Behav Ther: Routledge; 2008. p. 199-216.
8. Manrique E, Aguado H. Esquemas emocionales, evitación emocional y proceso de cambio en terapia cognitivo-conductual. Rev Psiquiatr Salud Ment. 2006;7(1):11-32.
9. Tirch DD, Leahy RL, Silberstein LR, Melwani PS. Emotional schemas, psychological flexibility, and anxiety: The role of flexible response patterns to anxious arousal. Int J Cogn Ther. 2012;5(4):380-91.
10. Edwards ER, Wupperman P. Research on emotional schemas: A review of findings and challenges. Clinical Psychologist. 2019;23(1):3-14.
11. Faustino B, Vasco AB, Silva AN, Marques T. Relationships between Emotional Schemas, Mindfulness, Self-Compassion and Unconditional Self-Acceptance on the Regulation of Psychological Needs. Res Psychother. 2020;23(2):442.
12. Erfan A, Ghezelbash S, Kazemian M, Noorbala A. The effectiveness of emotional schema therapy on impulsivity and mood symptoms of women with bipolar disorder. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences. 2019;17(3):388-99.
13. Furchtlehner LM, Schuster R, Laireiter A-R. A comparative study of the efficacy of group positive psychotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of depressive disorders: a randomized controlled trial. J Posit Psychol. 2020;15(6):832-45.
14. Suh J-W, Lee HJ, Yoo N, Min H, Seo DG, Choi K-H. A brief version of the Leahy emotional schema scale: A validation study. Int J Cogn Ther. 2019;12:38-54.
15. Batmaz S, Özdel K. Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale-II. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry/ Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg. 2015;16.
16. da Silva AN, Matos M, Faustino B, Neto DD, Roberto MS. Rethinking leahy’s emotional schema scale (LESS): Results from the Portuguese adaptation of the LESS. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. 2023;41(1):95-114.
17. Leahy RL. A model of emotional schemas. Cogn Behav Pract. 2002;9(3):177-90.
18. Leahy RL, Tirch DD, Melwani PS. Processes underlying depression: Risk aversion, emotional schemas, and psychological flexibility. Int J Cogn Ther. 2012;5(4):362-79.
19. Wenze S, Goldberg J, Singer T, Endick C, Leahy R. Longitudinal assessment of emotional schemas in bipolar outpatients. American Psychiatric Association, San Francisco. 2003.
20. Leahy R, Wupperman P. Emotion regulation and psychopathology: pathways, processes, and treatment. Unpublished manuscript, American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, New York. 2015.
21. Suh J-W, Lee HJ, Yoo N, Min H, Seo DG, Choi K-H. Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II--Brief Version. Int J Cogn Ther.2021.
22. Velázquez-Jurado H, Niño-Tamayo D, Flores-Torres A, de la Fuente-Villanueva A, Méndez-Sánchez MdP, Peñaloza-Gómez R. Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II--Mexican Spanish Version. Psicología y Salud.
23. Sirota N, Moskovchenko D, Yaltonsky V, Kochetkov Y, Yaltonskaya A. Psychodiagnostics of emotional schemas: the results of transcultural adaptation and assessment of psychometric properties of Russian Version of Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II_RUS). ÎÁÎÇÐÅÍÈÅ ÏÑÈÕÈÀÒÐÈÈ È ÌÅÄÈÖÈÍÑÊÎÉ ÏÑÈÕÎËÎÃÈÈ. 2013;77:76.
24. Yavuz KF, Türkçapar MH, Demirel B, Karadere E. Adaptation, validity and reliability of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale Turkish version based on Turkish university students and workers. Dusunen Adam Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences. 2011;24(4):273.
25. Beaton DE, Bombardier C, Guillemin F, Ferraz MB. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186-91.
26. Tilburg U, Hambleton RK. Translating tests: some practical guidelines. European Psychologist. 1996;1(2):89-99.
27. Behling O, Law KS. Translating questionnaires and other research instruments: Problems and solutions: sage; 2000.
28. Hambleton RK, Zenisky AL. Translating and adapting tests for cross-cultural assessments. 2011.
29. Sousa VD, Rojjanasrirat W. Translation, adaptation and validation of instruments or scales for use in cross-cultural health care research: a clear and user-friendly guideline. J Eval Clin Pract. 2011;17(2):268-74.
30. el-Rufaie OE, Absood G. Validity study of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale among a group of Saudi patients. Br J Psychiatry. 1987;151:687-8.
31. Ibrahim NK. Epidemiology of mental health problems in the Middle East. Handbook of healthcare in the Arab world. 2021:133-49.
32. Karam EG, Mneimneh ZN, Dimassi H, Fayyad JA, Karam AN, Nasser SC, et al. Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in Lebanon: first onset, treatment, and exposure to war. PLoS Med. 2008;5(4):e61.
33. Al-Krenawi A, Graham JR, A. Sehwail M. Mental health and violence/trauma in Palestine: Implications for helping professional practice. J Comp Fam Stud. 2004;35(2):185-209.
34. Al-Hadethe A, Hunt N, Thomas S, Al-Qaysi A. Prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD symptoms among secondary school students in Baghdad. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2014;5:23928.
35. Abiddine FZE, Aljaberi MA, Alduais A, Lin C-Y, Vally Z, D Griffiths M. The Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Int J Ment Health Addict. 2024:1-21.
36. Leahy RL. Emotional schemas and resistance to change in anxiety disorders. Cogn Behav Pract. 2007;14(1):36-45.
37. Miri N, Bahri MZ, Shiroudi SG. Structural Modeling of Trust in Couples Affected by Infidelity Based on Emotional Schemas with the Mediation of Communication Patterns. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC). 2024;6(2):79-85.
38. Okasha S. Multilevel selection and the major transitions in evolution. Philosophy of science. 2005;72(5):1013-25.
39. Ghuloum S, Bener A, Burgut F. Ethnic differences in satisfaction with mental health services among psychiatry patients. Open Psychiatr J. 2010;4(1).
40. al-Krenawi A, Graham JR. Culturally sensitive social work practice with Arab clients in mental health settings. Health Soc Work. 2000;25(1):9-22.
41. Wells A. Meta-cognition and worry: A cognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Cogn Psychother. 1995;23(3):301-20.
42. Leahy RL. Overcoming resistance in cognitive therapy: Guilford Press; 2012.
43. Foster SL, Cone JD. Validity issues in clinical assessment. Psychol Assess. 1995;7(3):248.
44. Nunnally JC. Teoría psicométrica. 1995.
45. Brislin RW. Back-translation for cross-cultural research. J Cross Cult Psychol. 1970;1(3):185-216.
46. Beaton DE, Bombardier C, Guillemin F, Ferraz MB. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186-91.
47. Brislin RW. Back-translation for cross-cultural research. J Cross Cult Psychol. 1970;1(3):185-216.
48. Beck AT, Epstein N, Brown G, Steer RA. An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988;56(6):893-7.
49. Kaiser HF. An index of factorial simplicity. psychometrika. 1974;39(1):31-6.
50. Kline RB. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling: Guilford publications; 2023.
51. Salemi-Langroudi A, Dobson KS, Artounian V, Ghasemi M, Kolahkaj B, Khosravani V, et al. Psychometric properties of the leahy emotional schema scale-II among Iranian students. Int J Cogn Ther. 2021;14:455-72.
52. Clark J. Threat of war is affecting mental health of Iraqi children, says report. Bmj. 2003;326(7385):356.
53. Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS, Ullman JB. Using multivariate statistics: pearson Boston, MA; 2013.
54. Field A. Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics: Sage publications limited; 2024.
55. Baker MJ, Hart SJ. The marketing book: Butterworth-Heinemann Oxford; 2003.
56. Rahabarian M, Mohammadi A, Abasi I, Meysamie A, Nejatisafa A. A comparison of emotional schemas in patients with bipolar disorders and major depressive disorder in remission and nonclinical population. Practice in Clinical Psychology. 2016;4(2):121-8.
57. Sharifi G, Rezaeian Faraji H, Gholamali Lavasani M. Psychometric charact. eristics of the persian version of the emotional schema scale-short form in iranian students. Journal of Psychological Science. 2023;22(122):249-64.
58. Kamali S, Gharraee B, Birashk B. The role of emotional schema in prediction of pathological worry in Iranian students. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2013;84:994-8.
59. Mazloom M, Yaghubi H, Mohammadkhani S. Post-traumatic stress symptom, metacognition, emotional schema and emotion regulation: A structural equation model. Pers Individ Dif. 2016;88:94-8.
60. Farhood L, Dimassi H, Lehtinen T. Exposure to war-related traumatic events, prevalence of PTSD, and general psychiatric morbidity in a civilian population from Southern Lebanon. J Transcult Nurs. 2006;17(4):333-40.
2. Anayurt A, Yalçın İ. Investigation of relations between emotion regulation, early maladaptive schemas, cognitive flexibility, and rumination. Kastamonu Education Journal. 2021;29(4):194-204.
3. Leahy RL. A model of emotional schemas. Cogn Behav Pract. 2002;9(3):177-90.
4. Beck A, Steer R. Manual for the revised beck depression inventory San Antonio. TX: Psychological Corp. 1987.
5. Baldwin MW. Relational schemas and the processing of social information. Psychol Bull. 1992;112(3):461.
6. Leahy RL. Emotional schema therapy. И ПСИХОТЕРАПИЯ. 2016;46.
7. Leahy RL. Resistance: An emotional schema therapy (EST) approach. Cogn Behav Ther: Routledge; 2008. p. 199-216.
8. Manrique E, Aguado H. Esquemas emocionales, evitación emocional y proceso de cambio en terapia cognitivo-conductual. Rev Psiquiatr Salud Ment. 2006;7(1):11-32.
9. Tirch DD, Leahy RL, Silberstein LR, Melwani PS. Emotional schemas, psychological flexibility, and anxiety: The role of flexible response patterns to anxious arousal. Int J Cogn Ther. 2012;5(4):380-91.
10. Edwards ER, Wupperman P. Research on emotional schemas: A review of findings and challenges. Clinical Psychologist. 2019;23(1):3-14.
11. Faustino B, Vasco AB, Silva AN, Marques T. Relationships between Emotional Schemas, Mindfulness, Self-Compassion and Unconditional Self-Acceptance on the Regulation of Psychological Needs. Res Psychother. 2020;23(2):442.
12. Erfan A, Ghezelbash S, Kazemian M, Noorbala A. The effectiveness of emotional schema therapy on impulsivity and mood symptoms of women with bipolar disorder. Journal of Research in Behavioural Sciences. 2019;17(3):388-99.
13. Furchtlehner LM, Schuster R, Laireiter A-R. A comparative study of the efficacy of group positive psychotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of depressive disorders: a randomized controlled trial. J Posit Psychol. 2020;15(6):832-45.
14. Suh J-W, Lee HJ, Yoo N, Min H, Seo DG, Choi K-H. A brief version of the Leahy emotional schema scale: A validation study. Int J Cogn Ther. 2019;12:38-54.
15. Batmaz S, Özdel K. Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale-II. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry/ Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg. 2015;16.
16. da Silva AN, Matos M, Faustino B, Neto DD, Roberto MS. Rethinking leahy’s emotional schema scale (LESS): Results from the Portuguese adaptation of the LESS. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. 2023;41(1):95-114.
17. Leahy RL. A model of emotional schemas. Cogn Behav Pract. 2002;9(3):177-90.
18. Leahy RL, Tirch DD, Melwani PS. Processes underlying depression: Risk aversion, emotional schemas, and psychological flexibility. Int J Cogn Ther. 2012;5(4):362-79.
19. Wenze S, Goldberg J, Singer T, Endick C, Leahy R. Longitudinal assessment of emotional schemas in bipolar outpatients. American Psychiatric Association, San Francisco. 2003.
20. Leahy R, Wupperman P. Emotion regulation and psychopathology: pathways, processes, and treatment. Unpublished manuscript, American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, New York. 2015.
21. Suh J-W, Lee HJ, Yoo N, Min H, Seo DG, Choi K-H. Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II--Brief Version. Int J Cogn Ther.2021.
22. Velázquez-Jurado H, Niño-Tamayo D, Flores-Torres A, de la Fuente-Villanueva A, Méndez-Sánchez MdP, Peñaloza-Gómez R. Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II--Mexican Spanish Version. Psicología y Salud.
23. Sirota N, Moskovchenko D, Yaltonsky V, Kochetkov Y, Yaltonskaya A. Psychodiagnostics of emotional schemas: the results of transcultural adaptation and assessment of psychometric properties of Russian Version of Leahy Emotional Schema Scale II (LESS II_RUS). ÎÁÎÇÐÅÍÈÅ ÏÑÈÕÈÀÒÐÈÈ È ÌÅÄÈÖÈÍÑÊÎÉ ÏÑÈÕÎËÎÃÈÈ. 2013;77:76.
24. Yavuz KF, Türkçapar MH, Demirel B, Karadere E. Adaptation, validity and reliability of the Leahy Emotional Schema Scale Turkish version based on Turkish university students and workers. Dusunen Adam Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences. 2011;24(4):273.
25. Beaton DE, Bombardier C, Guillemin F, Ferraz MB. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186-91.
26. Tilburg U, Hambleton RK. Translating tests: some practical guidelines. European Psychologist. 1996;1(2):89-99.
27. Behling O, Law KS. Translating questionnaires and other research instruments: Problems and solutions: sage; 2000.
28. Hambleton RK, Zenisky AL. Translating and adapting tests for cross-cultural assessments. 2011.
29. Sousa VD, Rojjanasrirat W. Translation, adaptation and validation of instruments or scales for use in cross-cultural health care research: a clear and user-friendly guideline. J Eval Clin Pract. 2011;17(2):268-74.
30. el-Rufaie OE, Absood G. Validity study of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale among a group of Saudi patients. Br J Psychiatry. 1987;151:687-8.
31. Ibrahim NK. Epidemiology of mental health problems in the Middle East. Handbook of healthcare in the Arab world. 2021:133-49.
32. Karam EG, Mneimneh ZN, Dimassi H, Fayyad JA, Karam AN, Nasser SC, et al. Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in Lebanon: first onset, treatment, and exposure to war. PLoS Med. 2008;5(4):e61.
33. Al-Krenawi A, Graham JR, A. Sehwail M. Mental health and violence/trauma in Palestine: Implications for helping professional practice. J Comp Fam Stud. 2004;35(2):185-209.
34. Al-Hadethe A, Hunt N, Thomas S, Al-Qaysi A. Prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD symptoms among secondary school students in Baghdad. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2014;5:23928.
35. Abiddine FZE, Aljaberi MA, Alduais A, Lin C-Y, Vally Z, D Griffiths M. The Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Int J Ment Health Addict. 2024:1-21.
36. Leahy RL. Emotional schemas and resistance to change in anxiety disorders. Cogn Behav Pract. 2007;14(1):36-45.
37. Miri N, Bahri MZ, Shiroudi SG. Structural Modeling of Trust in Couples Affected by Infidelity Based on Emotional Schemas with the Mediation of Communication Patterns. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC). 2024;6(2):79-85.
38. Okasha S. Multilevel selection and the major transitions in evolution. Philosophy of science. 2005;72(5):1013-25.
39. Ghuloum S, Bener A, Burgut F. Ethnic differences in satisfaction with mental health services among psychiatry patients. Open Psychiatr J. 2010;4(1).
40. al-Krenawi A, Graham JR. Culturally sensitive social work practice with Arab clients in mental health settings. Health Soc Work. 2000;25(1):9-22.
41. Wells A. Meta-cognition and worry: A cognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder. Behav Cogn Psychother. 1995;23(3):301-20.
42. Leahy RL. Overcoming resistance in cognitive therapy: Guilford Press; 2012.
43. Foster SL, Cone JD. Validity issues in clinical assessment. Psychol Assess. 1995;7(3):248.
44. Nunnally JC. Teoría psicométrica. 1995.
45. Brislin RW. Back-translation for cross-cultural research. J Cross Cult Psychol. 1970;1(3):185-216.
46. Beaton DE, Bombardier C, Guillemin F, Ferraz MB. Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25(24):3186-91.
47. Brislin RW. Back-translation for cross-cultural research. J Cross Cult Psychol. 1970;1(3):185-216.
48. Beck AT, Epstein N, Brown G, Steer RA. An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988;56(6):893-7.
49. Kaiser HF. An index of factorial simplicity. psychometrika. 1974;39(1):31-6.
50. Kline RB. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling: Guilford publications; 2023.
51. Salemi-Langroudi A, Dobson KS, Artounian V, Ghasemi M, Kolahkaj B, Khosravani V, et al. Psychometric properties of the leahy emotional schema scale-II among Iranian students. Int J Cogn Ther. 2021;14:455-72.
52. Clark J. Threat of war is affecting mental health of Iraqi children, says report. Bmj. 2003;326(7385):356.
53. Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS, Ullman JB. Using multivariate statistics: pearson Boston, MA; 2013.
54. Field A. Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics: Sage publications limited; 2024.
55. Baker MJ, Hart SJ. The marketing book: Butterworth-Heinemann Oxford; 2003.
56. Rahabarian M, Mohammadi A, Abasi I, Meysamie A, Nejatisafa A. A comparison of emotional schemas in patients with bipolar disorders and major depressive disorder in remission and nonclinical population. Practice in Clinical Psychology. 2016;4(2):121-8.
57. Sharifi G, Rezaeian Faraji H, Gholamali Lavasani M. Psychometric charact. eristics of the persian version of the emotional schema scale-short form in iranian students. Journal of Psychological Science. 2023;22(122):249-64.
58. Kamali S, Gharraee B, Birashk B. The role of emotional schema in prediction of pathological worry in Iranian students. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2013;84:994-8.
59. Mazloom M, Yaghubi H, Mohammadkhani S. Post-traumatic stress symptom, metacognition, emotional schema and emotion regulation: A structural equation model. Pers Individ Dif. 2016;88:94-8.
60. Farhood L, Dimassi H, Lehtinen T. Exposure to war-related traumatic events, prevalence of PTSD, and general psychiatric morbidity in a civilian population from Southern Lebanon. J Transcult Nurs. 2006;17(4):333-40.
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| Issue | Vol 20 No 1 (2025) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Emotions Factor Analysis Psychometrics Questionnaire Validity and Reliability | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Fathy M, Mandoob K. Arabic Version of the Leahy Emotional Schemas Scale-II. Iran J Psychiatry. 2024;20(1):75-90.
