Early Maladaptive Schemas

1. ABANDONMENT / INSTABILITY (AB)

The perceived instability or unreliability of those available for support and connection. Involves the
sense that significant others will not be able to continue providing emotional support, connection,
strength, or practical protection because they are emotionally unstable and unpredictable(e.g.,
angry outbursts), unreliable, or erratically present; because they will die imminently; or because
they will abandon the patient in favour of someone better.

2. MISTRUST / ABUSE (MA)

The expectation that others will hurt, abuse, humiliate, cheat, lie, manipulate, or take advantage.
Usually involves the perception that the harm is intentional or the result of unjustified and extreme
negligence. May include the sense that one always ends up being cheated relative to others or
"getting the short end of the stick."

3. EMOTIONAL DEPRIVATION (ED)

The expectation that one's desire for a normal degree of emotional support will not be adequately
met by others. The three major forms of deprivation are:

A. Deprivation of Nurturance: Absence of attention, affection, warmth, or companionship.

B. Deprivation of Empathy: Absence of understanding, listening, self-disclosure, or mutual sharing

C. Deprivation of Protection: Absence of strength, direction, or guidance from others.

4. DEFECTIVENESS / SHAME (DS)

The feeling that one is defective, bad, unwanted, inferior, or invalid in important respects; or that
one would be unlovable to significant others if exposed. May involve hypersensitivity to criticism,
rejection, and blame; self-consciousness, comparisons, and insecurity around others; or a sense
of shame regarding one's perceived flaws. These flaws may be private (e.g., selfishness, angry
impulses, unacceptable sexual desires) or public (e.g., undesirable physical appearance, social
awkwardness).

5. SOCIAL ISOLATION / ALIENATION (SI)

The feeling that one is isolated from the rest of the world, different from other people, and/or not
part of any group or community.
6. DEPENDENCE / INCOMPETENCE (DI)

The belief that one is unable to handle one's everyday responsibilities in a competent manner,
without considerable help from others (e.g., take care of oneself, solve daily problems, exercise
good judgment, tackle new tasks, and make good decisions). Often presents as helplessness.

7. VULNERABILITY TO HARM OR ILLNESS (VH)

Exaggerated fear that imminent catastrophe will strike at any time and that one will be unable to
prevent it. Fears focus on one or more of the following: (A) Medical Catastrophes: e.g., heart
attacks, AIDS; (B)Emotional Catastrophes: e.g., going crazy; (C): External Catastrophes: e.g.,
elevators collapsing, victimized by criminals, airplane crashes, earthquakes.

8. ENMESHMENT / UNDEVELOPED SELF (EM)

Excessive emotional involvement and closeness with one or more significant others (often
parents), at the expense of full individuation or normal social development. Often involves the belief
that at least one of the enmeshed individuals cannot survive or be happy without the constant
support of the other. May also include feelings of being smothered by, or fused with, others OR
insufficient individual identity. Often experienced as a feeling of emptiness and floundering, having
no direction, or in extreme cases questioning one's existence.

9. FAILURE TO ACHIEVE (FA)

The belief that one has failed, will inevitably fail, or is fundamentally inadequate relative to one's
peers, in areas of achievement (school, career, sports, etc.). Often involves beliefs that one is
stupid, inept, untalented, ignorant, lower in status, less successful than others, etc.

10. ENTITLEMENT / GRANDIOSITY (ET)

The belief that one is superior to other people; entitled to special rights and privileges; or not bound
by the rules of reciprocity that guide normal social interaction. Often involves insistence that one
should be able to do or have whatever one wants, regardless of what is realistic, what others
consider reasonable, or the cost to others; OR an exaggerated focus on superiority (e.g., being
among the most successful, famous, wealthy) -- in order to achieve power or control (not primarily
for attention or approval). Sometimes includes excessive competitiveness toward or domination
of, others: asserting one's power, forcing one's point of view, or controlling the behaviour of others
in line with one's own desires without empathy or concern for others' needs or feelings.
11. INSUFFICIENT SELF-CONTROL / SELF-DISCIPLINE (IS)

Pervasive difficulty or refusal to exercise sufficient self-control and frustration tolerance to achieve
one’s personal goals or to restrain the excessive expression of one's emotions and impulses. In
its milder form, the patient presents with an exaggerated emphasis on discomfort-avoidance:
avoiding pain, conflict, confrontation, responsibility, or overexertion---at the expense of personal
fulfilment, commitment, or integrity.

12. SUBJUGATION (SB)

Excessive surrendering of control to others because one feels coerced - - usually to avoid anger,
retaliation, or abandonment. The two major forms of subjugation are:

A. Subjugation of Needs: Suppression of one's preferences, decisions, and desires.

B. Subjugation of Emotions: Suppression of emotional expression, especially anger.

Usually involves the perception that one's own desires, opinions, and feelings are not valid or
important to others. Frequently presents as excessive compliance, combined with hypersensitivity
to feeling trapped. Generally leads to a build-up of anger, manifested in maladaptive symptoms
(e.g., passive-aggressive behaviour, uncontrolled outbursts of temper, psychosomatic symptoms,
withdrawal of affection, "acting out", substance abuse).

13. SELF-SACRIFICE (SS)

Excessive focus on voluntarily meeting the needs of others in daily situations, at the expense of
one's own gratification. The most common reasons are: to prevent causing pain to others; to avoid
guilt from feeling selfish; or to maintain the connection with others perceived as needy. Often
results from an acute sensitivity to the pain of others. Sometimes leads to a sense that one's own
needs are not being adequately met and to resentment of those who are taken care of. (Overlaps
with concept of codependency.)

14. APPROVAL-SEEKING / RECOGNITION-SEEKING (AS)

Excessive emphasis on gaining approval, recognition, or attention from other people, or fitting in,
at the expense of developing a secure and true sense of self. One's sense of esteem is dependent
primarily on the reactions of others rather than on one's own natural inclinations. Sometimes
includes an overemphasis on status, appearance, social acceptance, money, or achievement --
as means of gaining approval, admiration, or attention (not primarily for power or control).
Frequently results in major life decisions that are inauthentic or unsatisfying; or in hypersensitivity
to rejection.
15. NEGATIVITY / PESSIMISM (NP)

A pervasive, lifelong focus on the negative aspects of life (pain, death, loss, disappointment,
conflict, guilt, resentment, unsolved problems, potential mistakes, betrayal, things that could go
wrong, etc.) while minimizing or neglecting the positive or optimistic aspects. Usually includes an
exaggerated expectation--in a wide range of work, financial, or interpersonal situations -- that
things will eventually go seriously wrong, or that aspects of one's life that seem to be going well
will ultimately fall apart. Usually involves an inordinate fear of making mistakes that might lead to:
financial collapse, loss, humiliation, or being trapped in a bad situation. Because potential negative
outcomes are exaggerated, these patients are frequently characterized by chronic worry, vigilance,
complaining, or indecision.

16. EMOTIONAL INHIBITION (EI)

The excessive inhibition of spontaneous action, feeling, or communication -- usually to avoid

17. UNRELENTING STANDARDS / HYPERCRITICALNESS (US)

The underlying belief is that one must strive to meet very high internalized standards of behaviour
and performance, usually to avoid criticism. Typically results in feelings of pressure or difficulty
slowing down; in hypercriticalness toward oneself and others. Must involve significant impairment
in: pleasure, relaxation, health, self-esteem, sense of accomplishment, or satisfying relationships.

Unrelenting standards typically present as: (a) perfectionism, inordinate attention to detail, or an
underestimate of how good one's own performance is relative to the norm; (b) rigid rules and
“shoulds” in many areas of life, including unrealistically high moral, ethical, cultural, or religious
precepts; or (c)preoccupation with time and efficiency so that more can be accomplished.

18. PUNITIVENESS (PU)

The belief that people should be harshly punished for making mistakes. Involves the tendency to
be angry, intolerant, punitive, and impatient with those people (including oneself) who do not meet
one's expectations or standards. Usually includes difficulty forgiving mistakes in oneself or others,
because of a reluctance to consider extenuating circumstances, allow for human imperfection, or
empathize with feelings.