Background A central construct in Schema Therapy (ST) is that of a schema mode, describing the current emotional-cognitive-behavioral state. Initially, 10 modes were described. Over time, with the world-wide increasing and broader application of ST to various disorders, additional schema modes were identified, mainly based on clinical impressions. Thus, the need for a new, theoretically based, cross-cultural taxonomy of modes emerged. Methods An international workgroup started from scratch to identify an extensive taxonomy of modes, based on (a) extending the theory underlying ST with new insights on needs, and (b) recent research on ST theory supporting that modes represent combinations of activated schemas and coping. Results We propose to add two emotional needs to the original five core needs that theoretically underpin the development of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), i.e., the need for Self-Coherence, and the need for Fairness, leading to three new EMSs, i.e. Lack of a Coherent Identity, Lack of a Meaningful World, and Unfairness. When rethinking the purpose behind the different ways of coping with EMS-activation, we came up with new labels for two of those: Resignation instead of Surrender, and Inversion instead of Overcompensation. By systematically combining EMSs and ways of coping we derived a set of schema modes that can be empirically tested. Conclusions With this project, we hope to contribute to the further development of ST and its application across the world.

The purpose of the current study is to present the psychometric properties of the Short Schema Mode Inventory in the Turkish culture. The study sample comprised 1,287 participants, including both clinical and nonclinical participants. The age of the participants ranged between 18 and 48 years. The construct validity of the scale was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. The internal (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability coefficients were used to examine the reliability of the scale. Discriminant validity was investigated by comparing the nonclinical and clinical participants. Concurrent validity was tested via the Splitting Scale. The results of the study showed that the tested model had good data-model fit statistics. Additionally, the reliability analyses revealed that the scales had good internal and test-retest reliability coefficients. A significant association was found between the subscales of the Schema Mode Inventory. Furthermore, the scores of the clinical participants were significantly higher compared with the scores of the nonclinical participants for the maladaptive schema modes. Nonetheless, the participants in the nonclinical group had significantly higher levels of the healthy schema modes than individuals in the clinical group. The results of this study demonstrated that the Schema Mode Inventory was a reliable and valid instrument to measure schema modes in the Turkish population. K E Y W O R D Sschema therapy, schema mode inventory, reliability, validity, schema modes