Abandonment Schema and Limerence: Comparisons across Sexual Abuse Severity, Gender, and Relationship Status among Young Adults

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the differences in abandonment schema and limerence across gender, relationship status, and sexual abuse severity among young adults. It was hypothesized that the levels of abandonment schema and limerence would differ by gender and relationship status, and individuals reporting higher sexual abuse severity would exhibit greater abandonment schema and limerence compared to those reporting lower sexual abuse severity. A convenience sampling strategy was used, and the data were collected from young adults (N=332) enrolled in various public and private universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Participants completed a Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Abandonment Core Belief Scale, the Wolf & Lemay Limerence Measure, and the Sexual Abuse Severity Score. Sexual abuse severity scores were dichotomized into low and high severity groups for between-group comparisons. The results indicated that females with severe sexual abuse and those in an uncertain relationship were at higher risk of developing heightened abandonment schema and limerence. Whereas male participants, participants with mild or no abuse history, and those in stable relationships scored lowest on the study variables. The implications of the study emphasize the need for trauma-informed, schema-based interventions to address abandonment schema and limerence within culturally sensitive therapeutic frameworks. Moreover, the results offer valuable insights for clinicians and researchers to understand the intersection of sexual trauma, gender, and relationship status in Pakistani young adults.