Factors associated with fear of intimacy among a representative sample of the Lebanese population: The role of depression, social phobia, self-esteem, intimate partner violence, attachment, and maladaptive schemas.

PURPOSE: To assess fear of intimacy (FOI) in the Lebanese population, and its correlates such as depression, social phobia, self-esteem, attachment, and maladaptive schemas.

DESIGN/

METHODS

This cross-sectional study, conducted between November 2017 and May 2018, enrolled 707 community-dwelling participants.

RESULTS

Higher FOI scores were associated with an increase in the defectiveness schema (β = 0.483), social phobia score (β = 0.16), mistrust schema (β = 0.519), vulnerability schema (β = 0.482), emotional deprivation schema (β = 0.548), attachment style D (dismissing) (β = 0.913) and failure schema, whereas lower FOI was significantly associated with an increase in the entitlement schema (β = -0.362), insufficient schema (β = -0.377), and the self-esteem score (β = -0.288).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Implementing educational programs are needed to enable persons to develop healthy intimate relationships, taking into account attachment styles and inappropriate early schemas.