Early Maladaptive Schemas are developed throughout life, long term structures and resistant to change, on the other hand schemes can be defined as a network of structured and interrelated beliefs that guide individual's behavior, often called belief. Therapy becomes a challenge since schemas are used as information processing models for personal experiences. This study aims to investigate the main dysfunctional schemas/beliefs and Early Maladaptive Schemas affected in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. A systematic review in electronic databases between the years 2000 and 2009 was conducted and showed an association between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and dysfunctional schemas/beliefs, and the most affected are related to perception of self, others and the world. With respect to Early Maladaptive Schemas, the most affected are isolation/social alienation and shame/defective. These results are clinically relevant since it is necessary to consider the cognitive dysfunctions underlying posttraumatic symptomatology.
Irrational beliefs; Early maladaptive schema; Stress disorder; post-traumatic
