Félelmetschema

Félelmetschema is a term used in psychology to denote a cognitive schema—a stable, internal framework—that organizes information related to fear and danger. In this sense, it functions as a mental filter that shapes how a person perceives, interprets, and remembers threat-related cues, often leading to heightened fear responses even in benign situations.

Core features include: a belief in personal vulnerability, expectations of harm, and overgeneralization of danger. Such a schema can organize attention toward threatening stimuli (attentional bias), bias interpretation toward fear, and bias memory toward fear-related events. It is thought to develop from early stress or trauma and to be reinforced by avoidance and negative reinforcement.

Félelmetschema is commonly discussed in the context of anxiety disorders, phobias, and post-traumatic stress, where fear-based schemas contribute to excessive anxiety, persistent worry, or avoidance. It can coexist with other maladaptive schemas and interact with emotion regulation difficulties.

Assessment is typically clinical and may include structured interviews and self-report questionnaires evaluating threat perception, control beliefs, and avoidance tendencies. Treatment aims to modify the schema through cognitive-behavioral strategies, exposure to feared stimuli, cognitive restructuring, and mindfulness. In schema-focused approaches, therapists target underlying fear-related beliefs and strive to develop more adaptive appraisals and coping patterns.

Terminology varies by language; in some European literature, félelmetséma or félelmetschema appears as a direct translation of "fear schema." Further research continues to clarify its boundaries and therapeutic implications.