SCHEMA THERAPY VS. TF-CBT FOR TRAUMA IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EFFECTS ON EMS AND SCHEMA MODES

Abstract Recent studies have shown that traumatized individuals often exhibit significantly elevated levels of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) and schema modes. EMS are deeply ingrained negative beliefs, while schema modes are associated emotional and behavioural patterns. Both EMS and schema modes can have long-lasting, detrimental effects on well-being. Consequently, effective and holistic trauma-focused interventions should aim to reduce these constructs. This study investigated whether schema therapy could effectively decrease EMS and schema modes in a traumatized population, potentially supplementing traditional clinical trauma work. A single-blind, interventional pilot study with a pre-post design was conducted in Malaysia to compare the efficacy of schema therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) in reducing EMS and schema modes. Thirty young adults were recruited from local universities in Malaysia. They were assigned to each group and received 16 one-hour therapy sessions. Quantitative analyses revealed that schema therapy demonstrated superior short-term and long-term effectiveness in reducing both EMS and schema modes compared to TF-CBT. These findings suggest that schema therapy is a promising approach for addressing trauma-related EMS and schema modes. Keywords: EMS, Schema Modes, Trauma, Malaysia, Schema Therapy.