Enneagram Type and Maladaptive Schemas

[Seymour]

Recently I ran across a correlation between maladaptive schemas (as defined by schema therapy) and enneagram types. I ran into maladaptive schemas when following a string of book references (from Brene Brown's Gifts of Imperfection to Kristin Neff's Self Compassion [which I hope to post more about later], to Jeffrey Young's Reinventing Your Life).

Maladaptive schemas (also called "life traps") are fundamental concepts and emotional patterns learned early in life. Much like enneagram types, these tend to result in repetitive maladaptive behaviors.

The study of maladaptive schemas and enneagram styles gives the following correlations (see preceding link for descriptions of maladaptive schemas):

Abandonment: 2, 4, downside 6
Mistrust and Abuse: downside 1, 2, 4
Emotional Deprivation: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (negative correlation 9)
Social Exclusion: 4, 5, 6 (negative correlation 3 and 7)
Dependence: 2, 4, (anti-) 5, 6, 9 (negative correlation 3 and 8)
Vulnerability: 2, 4, 6
Defectiveness: 1, 4, 6 (negative correlation 7 and 9)
Failure: 6 (negative correlation 3 and 8)
Subjugation: 2, 6, 9 (negative correlation 8)
Unrealistic Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 (negative correlation 9)
Entitlement: 2, 3, 4, 7 (negative correlation 5 and 9)

Personally, I'd say I fit with 5 correlations for Social Exclusion, Emotional Deprivation, anti-Dependence, and negative Entitlement.

For 4 correlations I fit with Defectiveness (a biggie for me) and Unrealistic Standards (with an overlap with 5 of Social Exclusion, Emotional Deprivation). For 4 I do not fit with Mistrust and Abuse, Vulnerability (the schema definition), or Entitlement.

How about other folks? How does your enneagram type match with these correlations of maladaptive schemas?

Addendum: Here's an expanded list of maladaptive schemas.

 

[RaptorWizard]

The reminds me of A New Instinctual Variants Theory I developed!

It also kind of reminds me of a few definitions I refined eariler last week:

Emotions

Sattva:
1. Eager – Enthusiastic desire to initiate some sort of activity with minimum standby time.
2. Bored – Disinterest or displeasure with the present context and current course of events.
3. Anxious – Intense anticipation of coming events along with any pros or cons they carry.
4. Bashful – Timid or afraid to confront and engage oneself within situational dynamics.
5. Rushed – Frenzied haste to approach and run through situations with maximum speed.
6. Silly – Lacking objective sense or purpose in relation to what others perceive as proper.
7. Excited – Joyful desire to immerse oneself within something and experience its fullness.
8. Condescending – Narcissistic attitude about the greatness of oneself in relation to others.
Rajas:
1. Angry – Impulse to start confrontations in retaliation against things opposing our wishes.
2. Annoyed – Disrupting and upsetting the balance in the harmony or wellness of our being.
3. Cautious – Vigilance of potentially immanent dangers and adapting our actions in accord.
4. Scared – Fearful to face things perceived as threats or capable of inflicting pain upon us.
5. Confused – Unaware of the context or not understanding what steps of action to take.
6. Elated – Pleased with how things are proceeding and the promises they hold in store.
7. Shocked – Surprise from failing to foresee unexpected events in the unfolding future.
8. Worried – Afraid things could become worse without being able to withstand the flux.
Tamas:
1. Sad – Sorrowful of something and disappointed with how it developed outside our hopes.
2. Lazy – Unwilling to generate maximum productions and desiring minimum activity.
3. Calm – Free from all burdens or pressures in the chaos of life and at peace with things.
4. Lonely – Sadness felt by being disconnected from people we desire to see or contact.
5. Relieved – Liberated from a fear of potential losses or not getting desired productions.
6. Shy – Uncomfortable with being around people or easily frightened by new challenges.
7. Terrified – Afflicted with such extreme fear that one is rendered immobile or goes insane.
8. Relaxed – Devoid of tension or without worries and able to naturally express the true self.

Developing a New Personality System

 

[Chad of the OttomanEmpire]

They have a test you can take here:

http://www.lifetraptest.com/

It's short and prone to odd results (self-sacrifice, WTF??), but I've found mine to more-or-less accurately reflect what you'd expect of someone of my type, wing, and tritype.

Lifetrap Strength
Sosial isolation very strong
Defectiveness very strong
Pessimism strong
Entitlement strong
Abuse strong
Self-sacrifice strong
Emotional inhibation strong
Emotional deprivation medium
Vulnerablity medium
Insufficient self-control medium
Unrelenting standards medium
Punitiveness medium
Subjugation medium
Abandonment weak
Failure weak
Approval seeking no lifetrap
Enmeshment no lifetrap
Dependence no lifetrap

The ones in red should be lower on the list; blue, probably higher.

 

[Lady_X]

i'm sorry what do you mean when you say negative correlation? meaning when disintegrated?

until i understand that...it looks like 7's only lifetrap is entitlement.

which i read about in your link and actually...unfortunately it is pretty accurate. i would not have said that normally though...but yeah...we do feel like one should have the best that they can imagine.

interesting...i'll absorb that awhile.

 

[Lady_X]

They have a test you can take here:

http://www.lifetraptest.com/

It's short and prone to odd results (self-sacrifice, WTF??), but I've found mine to more-or-less accurately reflect what you'd expect of someone of my type, wing, and tritype.

Lifetrap Strength
Sosial isolation very strong
Defectiveness very strong
Pessimism strong
Entitlement strong
Abuse strong
Self-sacrifice strong
Emotional inhibation strong
Emotional deprivation medium
Vulnerablity medium
Insufficient self-control medium
Unrelenting standards medium
Punitiveness medium
Subjugation medium
Abandonment weak
Failure weak
Approval seeking no lifetrap
Enmeshment no lifetrap
Dependence no lifetrap

The ones in red should be lower on the list; blue, probably higher.

awesome thanks!

Test results

Your lifetraps

Lifetrap Strength
Insufficient self-control strong
Entitlement strong
Dependence medium
Emotional deprivation medium
Subjugation medium
Vulnerablity weak
Abuse weak
Self-sacrifice weak
Unrelenting standards weak
Enmeshment no lifetrap
Approval seeking no lifetrap
Failure no lifetrap
Abandonment no lifetrap
Defectiveness no lifetrap
Sosial isolation no lifetrap
Punitiveness no lifetrap
Pessimism no lifetrap
Emotional inhibation no lifetrap

 

[Southern Kross]

Abandonment: 2, 4, downside 6
Mistrust and Abuse: downside 1, 2, 4
Emotional Deprivation: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (negative correlation 9)
Social Exclusion: 4, 5, 6 (negative correlation 3 and 7)
Dependence: 2, 4, (anti-) 5, 6, 9 (negative correlation 3 and 8)
Vulnerability: 2, 4, 6
Defectiveness: 1, 4, 6 (negative correlation 7 and 9)
Failure: 6 (negative correlation 3 and 8)
Subjugation: 2, 6, 9 (negative correlation 8)
Unrealistic Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 (negative correlation 9)
Entitlement: 2, 3, 4, 7 (negative correlation 5 and 9)

Jesus.

Clearly, it really sucks to be a 2, a 4, or a 6.

 

[Stansmith]

Test results

Punitiveness very strong
Defectiveness very strong
Emotional inhibation very strong
Pessimism very strong
Sosial isolation very strong
Failure strong
Approval seeking strong
Unrelenting standards strong
Abandonment strong
Insufficient self-control strong
Subjugation strong
Dependence medium
Self-sacrifice medium
Abuse medium
Emotional deprivation medium
Entitlement medium
Vulnerablity weak
Enmeshment no lifetrap

 

[tanstaafl28]

I never seem to get accurate answers to these kinds of tests. I guess I'm not honest enough with myself.

 

[Seymour]

Some guesses about additions from expanded list. But first, a recap:

Original list (from study)

Abandonment: 2, 4, downside 6
Mistrust and Abuse: downside 1, 2, 4
Emotional Deprivation: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (negative correlation 9)
Social Exclusion: 4, 5, 6 (negative correlation 3 and 7)
Dependence: 2, 4, 5 (incompetence), 6, 9 (negative correlation 3 and 8)
Vulnerability: 2, 4, 6
Defectiveness: 1, 4, 6 (negative correlation 7 and 9)
Failure: 6 (negative correlation 3 and 8)
Subjugation: 2, 6, 9 (negative correlation 8)
Unrealistic Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 (negative correlation 9)
Entitlement: 2, 3, 4, 7 (negative correlation 5 and 9)

Note that a negative correlation means that the schema/life-trap is rarer than chance. So, for example, 5s and 9s rarely suffer for the Entitlement schema.


Differences with the expanded list:

Modified from original list
Abandonment: added "/ Instability"
Defectiveness: added "/ Shame"
Social Exclusion: renamed "Social Isolation / Alientation"
Dependence: added "/ Incompetence", which fits better with 5s)
Vulnerability: added "to harm or illness"
Failure: added "to acheive"
Entitlement: added "/ Grandiosity"
Unrealistic Standards: renamed "Unrelenting Standards / Hypercriticalness "

New (with guesses for possible enneagram associations)
Enmeshment / Undeveloped Self: 2*, 4 and 9
Insufficient Self Control: 7*, 8*, 4 (lack of self regulation) and 9 (lack of positive action)?
Self-sacrifice: Associated with 2*, 9. 4?
Approval Seaking / Recognition Seeking: 3*, 4 (unique image)?
Negativity / Pessimism: 6*, 4 and 5.
Emotional Inhibition: 5*, 1*
Punitiveness: 1*, 8*

*=strong fit


It's interesting how the expanded list seems to round out some aspects of enneagram types even though schema therapy is not based on the enneagram. Still, it seems clear both are trying to get at some of the same concepts. Interesting to see a different and slightly finer-grained take on maladaptive defenses.

 

[violet_crown]

Really interesting thread, [MENTION=8074]Seymour[/MENTION]. Very apropos of this one .

I wonder, though, what this really adds to the core enneagram theory. The correlations between these schema and the associated enneagram fixations seem kind of obvious. Is this a way to examine a system of complexes that can spring up around a fixation? Is it like a deconstruction of the core fixation itself? Or perhaps some combination of both or neither?

 

[Seymour]

Really interesting thread, [MENTION=8074]Seymour[/MENTION]. Very apropos of this one .

I wonder, though, what this really adds to the core enneagram theory. The correlations between these schema and the associated enneagram fixations seem kind of obvious. Is this a way to examine a system of complexes that can spring up around a fixation? Is it like a deconstruction of the core fixation itself? Or perhaps some combination of both or neither?

So, I think the relationship between between schema therapy and the Enneagram are interesting for a few reasons.

• Schema therapy comes from an entirely different lineage (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychoanalytic object relations, Attachment Theory, and Gestalt therapy) that has nothing to do with the enneagram.
• The maladaptive schemas are clearly trying to capture some of the same issues that enneagram types try to capture.
• The maladaptive schemas are somewhat finer grained than enneagram type (even if some have multiple manifestations)
• Kristin Neff combines schema therapy with meditation in her book Self Compassion, which gives her book a particularly enneagram-ish feel in some ways (meditation is an important part of enneagram teachings)

So, at first blush (I'm still coming up to speed on schema therapy), it seems like viewing the enneagram through the lens of schema therapy offers some interesting perspectives. It gives one a way to be a little more fine-grained about one's issues (and helps one see how one's type fits or doesn't fit the schema correlations).

It would also be interesting to look at correlations of the maladaptive schemas, and see if they naturally group into their enneagram correlations. That would, in some sense, provide a certain kind of weak validation that the groups of issues found in the enneagram (perhaps including wings or tri-types) actually cluster together in reality.

One of the frustrating things to me about the enneagram is that it lacks a sense of inevitability. Why these particular 9 types? Why these lines of connection? While there are lots of cool patterns among enneagram types (centers, against/away/towards, etc), there's a certain amount of "because that's the way it is" involved. And sometimes certain kinds of pattern-finding in the enneagram begins to feel like numerology. It would be nice if one could either theorize one's way to the enneagram layout from first principles, or empirically show that it reflects reality.

So, finding another take on some of the same stuff is both personally interesting (to see how I do/don't fit the enneagram type I identify with) and also provides a way to evaluate the enneagram. I'm don't know enough to claim one interpretation of the relationship between the two systems has a particular meaning... just that I'm finding it interesting.

That do you think?

 

[RaptorWizard]

Are we finding evidence to back up theories or theories to back up evidence?

I don't know, but things like the so-called 'evidence' can be twisted and misinterpreted.

People who obsess about evidence come to conclude things like "God isn't real" or that "magic powers are fake" and so forth.

A kid of sufficient open-mindedness and reason though (and there seem to be a lot more of them in comparison to conditioned adults) would use his/her imagination to deduce something more novel such as "what if God is much older than we are" and "could magic be science we don't yet understand" all the way as far as the chains of rationality can reach.

That's why when we develop personality systems, we should really introspect a lot and rely less on systematic experiments in order to find out the mysteries of the mind (which may transcend the definition of 'real' [the very things that 'evidence' banks on]).

Zang for instance has a well-developed metagram system devoid of any empirical testing; it's all the pure "I am that I am".

 

[Comeback Girl]

They have a test you can take here:

http://www.lifetraptest.com/

It's short and prone to odd results (self-sacrifice, WTF??), but I've found mine to more-or-less accurately reflect what you'd expect of someone of my type, wing, and tritype.

Lifetrap Strength
Sosial isolation very strong
Defectiveness very strong
Pessimism strong
Entitlement strong
Abuse strong
Self-sacrifice strong
Emotional inhibation strong
Emotional deprivation medium
Vulnerablity medium
Insufficient self-control medium
Unrelenting standards medium
Punitiveness medium
Subjugation medium
Abandonment weak
Failure weak
Approval seeking no lifetrap
Enmeshment no lifetrap
Dependence no lifetrap

The ones in red should be lower on the list; blue, probably higher.

Oops... Never crossed my mind that I could be troubled.

Lifetrap Strength
Self-sacrifice very strong
Approval seeking very strong
Subjugation strong
Insufficient self-control strong
Entitlement strong
Punitiveness strong
Defectiveness strong
Abandonment strong
Unrelenting standards strong
Enmeshment strong
Emotional deprivation medium
Emotional inhibation weak
Failure weak
Vulnerablity no lifetrap
Abuse no lifetrap
Dependence no lifetrap
Sosial isolation no lifetrap
Pessimism no lifetrap

 

[Zarathustra]

Thanks for posting this info, [MENTION=8074]Seymour[/MENTION].

Interesting thread, as usual.