Positive schemas and their associations with well-being and psychopathology in Turkish college students

The study aimed to adapt the Positive Schema Scale to Turkish culture and examine positive schemas in relation to gender, well-being, and psychopathology among Turkish college students. This research comprised two studies with a total of 898 college students. Study 1 adapted the scale to Turkish culture and evaluated its psychometric properties, whereas Study 2 examined gender differences in positive schemas and their associations with well-being and psychological symptoms. Across the two studies, data were collected using a personal information form, the Turkish version of the Positive Schema Scale (TPSS), additional measures used in its psychometric evaluation, the PERMA (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment) Well-being Scale, and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Study 1 showed that TPSS is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring positive schemas. Study 2 indicated that these schemas were significant for well-being and psychopathology and that male students reported higher positive schema scores than females. Examination of the subscales revealed distinct predictors of well-being and psychopathological constructs, with optimism emerging the most salient schema. The results showed the importance of positive schemas for college students’ psychological functioningand provide suggestions for future studies and counselling psychologists working with college students.