Early Maladaptive Schemas, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and the Mediation Role of Rumination and Emotional Cognitive Regulation: A Focus on Cosmetics Surgery Applicants

Abstract

Given the market statistics, cosmetic surgery has been highlighted as a rapidly flourishing and relatively highly demanded medical phenomenon in recent years. Individual psychological characteristics are assumed to significantly affect applications’ intention to consider, demand, or apply for cosmetic surgery. To address this issue, this study proposes a comprehensive model to investigate the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and simultaneously examine the mediation role of rumination and emotional cognitive regulation of cosmetic sugary applicants. Using the judgmental sampling technique, empirical data were collected from 304 applicants aged 20-40 in the city of Isfahan, Iran, and were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The items of each construct were adopted from previous related studies. The results of the analysis indicated a significant indirect association between early maladaptive schemas and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) with the mediating role of rumination and emotional cognitive regulation of cosmetic surgery applicants. Despite several limitations, the outcomes of this study contribute to the body of psychology, marketing, and medicine literature by identifying the factors affecting the applicant's decision-making process regarding whether to apply for cosmetic surgery.