Scheme Dependence and Multiple Couplings

For theories with multiple couplings the perturbative $\beta$-functions for scalar, Yukawa couplings are expressible in terms of contributions corresponding to one particle irreducible graphs and also contributions which are one particle reducible depending on the anomalous dimension. Here we discuss redefinitions, or changes of scheme, which preserve this structure. The redefinitions allow for IPR contributions of a specific form, as is necessary to encompass the relation between MS and momentum subtraction renormalisation schemes. Many multiply 1PR terms in the transformed $\beta$-function are generated but these can all be absorbed into antisymmetric contributions to the anomalous dimensions which are essentially arbitrary and can be discarded. As an illustration the results are applied to the scheme dependence of the anomalous dimension, which determines the $\beta$-function, for ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric scalar fermion theories in four dimensions up to four loops.