# Which parent, which schema mode? Examining the role of parental gender in adverse childhood experiences

## TL;DR

This study explores how the gender of a parent affects the link between childhood adversity and psychological states called schema modes.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel examination of how parental gender mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and schema modes.

## Key findings

- Mother–child emotional relationships were significantly associated with schema modes (p < .001).
- Father–child relationships did not show significant associations with schema modes (p > .05).
- No significant paths to schema modes were found in the male subgroup.

## Abstract

Schema modes represent momentary cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and neurobiological states that are activated in response to environmental experiences. They develop through the interaction between a child’s temperament and early adverse family conditions. This study examined the mediating role of parental gender in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and schema modes.

A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 100 adults receiving psychotherapy in Sanandaj, Iran, during autumn 2023. Participants were selected through random sampling. Data were collected using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Schema Mode Inventory, and the Family Emotional Climate Scale. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping procedures was used for data analysis.

Significant pathways were found from ACEs to both mother–child and father–child emotional relationships (p < .001). The Mother–child emotional relationship showed a significant association with schema modes (p < .001), whereas the father–child relationship did not (p > .05). In the male subgroup, none of the paths to schema modes reached statistical significance (all p > .05). These findings reflect associations rather than causal effects.

Findings suggest that the emotional quality of the mother–child emotional relationships were more strongly associated with schema modes than father–child relationships at the sample level. No significant paths to schema modes were observed in the male subgroup, indicating that conclusions about gender-specific influences should remain cautious and exploratory. Further research using formal multi-group analyses is required to clarify potential gender-related differences.