Parental schemata in emotionally disturbed women.

A modification of Kuethe's method for investigating social schemata in which 5s place magnets representing "mother," "father," and significant others on a board in relation to a centrally placed "self" magnet was administered along with the MMPI to 30 recently admitted female psychiatric patients. Distance between self and mother magnets was correlated with increased schizophrenia (Sc) and decreased ego strength (Es) scores on the MMPI, was greater than that of controls (N = 40), and tended to decrease following 6 wk. of treatment. Distance from father was not significantly correlated with Sc or Es, was not different from that of controls, but was found to increase after therapy.