Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a worldwide issue that can have severe consequences. While recent literature identifies pathological affective dependence (PAD) as a significant risk factor for IPV, Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) and the concept of schema chemistry (SC) between partners, may provide a better understanding as to why individuals remain in or return to abusive relationships. 

Objective: This pilot study has three main goals: 1) identifying specific EMSs associated with IPV perpetration and victimization; 2) analyzing the presence of schema chemistry (SC) patterns between individuals EMSs and their perceived partners EMSs; and 3) exploring whether PAD acts as a moderator within these SC dynamics. 

Method: Using an online survey, data were collected from a general population sample of 64 Dutch participants (N = 64; 76.56% female, 23.44% male; Mean age = 38.77 years) who had a history of at least one intimate relationship. Validated instruments included the Pathological Affective Dependence Scale (PADS), the Young Schema Questionnaire–Short Form 3 (YSQ-S3) for self-report and perceived partner schemas, and the Conflict Tactics Scale–Short Form (CTS2S). 

Results: Total scores for IPV victimization and perpetration were low across the sample, and no significant correlations were found between the hypothesized EMSs and total IPV scores. However, exploratory subscale analysis revealed weak positive correlations between physical violence perpetration and vulnerability to harm, and physical violence victimization and emotional inhibition. For SC, significant bidirectional, positive correlations were found between abandonment and mistrust/abuse, abandonment and approval-seeking, emotional deprivation and emotional inhibition, and entitlement/grandiosity and subjugation. Further moderation analyses showed that trait-PAD significantly moderated the schema chemistry between abandonment and mistrust/abuse in both directions.

Discussion: The findings suggest that while correlations between EMSs to general IPV may be harder to detect in low-severity samples taken from the general population, specific SC patterns exist within romantic couples. In some cases, there is significant moderation of PAD on the SC. Clinical and forensic interventions, could benefit from including SC and the moderating effect of PAD to help individuals break cycles of staying in or returning to an abusive relationship. There were several limitations such as a small, skewed sample and the utilization of perceived partner schema ratings. Future research should utilize dyadic designs within explicit IPV-vulnerable populations.