Schema therapy is a widely used treatment originally developed for personality disorders, emphasizing the enhancement of the Healthy Adult (HA) mode and positive schemas to promote balanced and adaptive functioning. Numerous studies have established links between personality disorders, traits, and childhood trauma. Given schema therapy’s effectiveness in addressing darker personality traits and its recognition of childhood trauma’s crucial role in their development, exploring this relationship within the framework of schema therapy is essential.

This study investigates the connection between childhood trauma, dark triad traits, and positive schema modes—specifically the HA and empathic consideration modes. It examines whether a well-developed HA and empathic consideration mode can mitigate the influence of childhood trauma on the emergence of dark triad traits. 

The presentation will outline the study’s background, methodology, and key findings, highlighting the mitigating role of the HA mode against the development of psychopathology. Additionally, it will discuss potential applications of these findings within forensic populations.