The presentation addresses the empirical foundations of schema theory by shedding light on the role of early maladaptive schemas in depression etiology and reviews the clinical evidence of schema therapy as a
possible treatment option for (chronic) depression: Limited evidence suggests that ST by targeting self - referential cognitive schemas (EMS) which mediate the effects of early life adversity on
vulnerability towards and maintenance of depressive disorders in the sense of distal risk
factors could be an effective treatment for depression and a feasible alternative to CBT (Brewin et al. 2009; Carter et al. 2013; Malogiannis et al. 2014; Renner et al. 2016).