Relationships Between Parental and Offspring Early Maladaptive Schemas: A Meta-Analytic Review of Dyadic Data

Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are pervasive cognitive-emotional patterns formed in childhood that contribute to diverse psychopathologies. While theory and research suggest EMSs may be transmitted across generations, findings are fragmented. This meta-analysis synthesized studies to (1) quantify the overall strength of associations between parental and offspring EMSs and (2) test moderation by parental or offspring age. Systematic searches across five databases identified 12 studies (N = 3,253; 1,473 dyads). Effect sizes for overall EMSs and the disconnection/rejection domain were extracted and analyzed using random-effects models with heterogeneity, influence, and publication bias tests. Moderator analyses examined parental and offspring age. The pooled correlation between overall parental and offspring EMSs was moderate (r = .32, 95% CI [.23, .42], p < .001; k = 11), with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 70%). The pooled correlation for parental and offspring disconnection/rejection schemas was also statistically significant and in the small-to-moderate range (r = .26, 95% CI [.20, .32], p < .001; k = 10). Neither parental nor offspring age moderated associations, and publication bias was non-significant. Findings provide the first quantitative evidence of intergenerational continuity in EMSs, highlighting the need for family-focused interventions to disrupt maladaptive schema cycles.