Childhood maltreatment and psychotic experiences: Exploring the specificity of early maladaptive schemas.

OBJECTIVE: One potential mechanism that has received limited attention in psychosis research is early maladaptive schemas (EMS). Our aim was to examine whether EMS acts as a potential mediating pathway between early trauma and psychotic symptomology.

METHODS: A quantitative survey was conducted online. N = 302 participants took part. The analysis used a multiple mediation framework.

RESULTS: Analysis demonstrated significant specificity effects. Different forms of child maltreatment were significantly associated with psychosis experiences through specific dimensions of maladaptive schemas.

CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated specificity effects in that specific types of maltreatment are associated with specific maladaptive schemas. From a practitioner's perspective, these findings offer credence to cognitive theories of psychopathology, and support the validity of EMS identification and modification among clients with psychotic symptomology both as a fundamental component of traditional CBT and within specialized schema-focused therapy.