Keynote: Schema Therapy: The Status of Research on the Model

In this presentation, Dr. Rita Younan and Professor Gery Karantzas will provide a critical overview of the current state of research into schema therapy (ST). Drawing on a recent Delphi study (Pilkington, Karantzas, & Younan, 2023) and a bibliometric analysis of over 300 published studies (Pilkington & Karantzas, 2024), this keynote will highlight which areas of the field in which the empirical evidence supports the ST model and its clinical applications across different client presentations and contexts. Furthermore, the presentation will outline the critical research gaps that exist within the field, and the conceptual and research challenges that have emerged from the existing evidence (or lack thereof). For instance, conjectures surround aspects of the schema therapy model, such as the optimal number of needs, schemas, and domains, and psychometric debate ensues as to the most appropriate self-report measure(s) to assess schemas. Challenges also exist in applied areas of research, such as the limited work on mechanisms of change, treatment processes, or comparative outcomes. After outlining the state of the field and its challenges, the presentation will conclude with outlining the opportunities that that lie ahead to advance basic and applied research within the field of ST.