Complex-trauma-related experiences during childhood and early adolescence have been associated with later difficulties in self-organization, self-representation, interpersonal functioning, and emotion regulation. However, the cross-sectional associations among retrospectively reported complex trauma-related experiences, dialectical core schemas, and specific emotion regulation strategies remain insufficiently examined.

This exploratory quantitative study used a cross-sectional design with a Portuguese non-clinical community sample (N = 86). Participants completed online self-report measures assessing retrospectively reported complex-trauma-related experiences, core schemas about the self and others, cognitive reappraisal, emotional suppression, psychopathological symptoms, psychological distress, and well-being. Analyses were interpreted as exploratory associations rather than causal or mechanistic effects.

After false discovery rate correction, complex-trauma-related experiences were associated mainly with maladaptive and adaptive self-schemas and with emotional suppression. Total trauma experiences remained positively associated with emotional suppression after adjustment for age, gender, education, and current psychological/psychiatric follow-up. DCS accounted for additional variance in emotional suppression, psychopathological symptoms, distress, and well-being. Maladaptive Self schemas showed the most consistent associations with poorer psychological functioning, whereas Adaptive Self and Adaptive Other schemas were independently associated with higher well-being. Adaptive Self schemas were also positively associated with cognitive reappraisal at the FDR significance threshold.