What are schemas?

Our team share more information on schemas, and how this impacts our looked after children.

What are schemas?

A schema is a technical word, a cognitive framework that helps us organise information. It describes patterns of thinking and behaviour that people use to interpret the world.

Everyone has schemas, they can be positive (adaptative) and negative (maladaptive). 

These co-exist, and activate based on factors, including:

  • our mood
  • circumstances
  • environment
  • recent life events
  • physical health - feeling tired or ill, for example

Positive schemas can be:

  • "I am competent,"
  • "people can be trusted"
  • "the world is manageable"

Negative schemas can be:

  • "I am incompetent,"
  • "people can't be trusted"
  • "the world is overwhelming,"

People with trauma are likely to hold negative schemas

Everyone has negative and positive schemas. But, people with lifelong trauma and disrupted attachment patterns likely maintain negative schemas. This presents difficulties and are not balanced by the presence of positive schemas.

Negative schemas become the person's filter on the world. They do not change, regardless of mood, circumstances or environment. The world is always dangerous, nothing positive happens.

Think about our foster children - we see this often

We understand all children in care have a level of trauma. They're facing huge disruption in life and emotional upheaval, no matter their circumstances. This can lead to holding negative schemas.

Think of...

  • The days you've spent with children where you've gone out, they're laughing all day. You had fun together, it was a lovely day. But when a social worker asks them about the day they've heard about, the child can say; "it was alright," or "I felt left out".
  • The children who have done well at school, but say they're rubbish, they're going to fail their exams
  • They get positive feedback about something they made, but will say everyone hated it
  • They do something wonderfully independent, then overwhelm you with their need for closeness

This is because negative schemas hold difficult thoughts, presenting as self-sabotage

We can only perceive what our schemas allow us to perceive. Any experience that contradicts our activated schema isn't noticed. It's seen as an exception to reality, and is discounted.

If your schema is, "I'm unlovable", you'll perceive every interaction you have through this lens. All interactions will prove your unlovability. Any negative responses you hear, fit this schema perfectly.

Everyone has schemas, it affects other attitudes and mental health presentations too

Schema theory can help us understand why people might have fixed ideas about gender and race. It can show why they're drawn to dangerous situations, substances or behaviours too.

How can foster carers help?

We have further information on how foster carers can support children in care to balance their thoughts. We have advice on what to do if you notice children having negative thoughts about themselves, and the world around them.