4.5 Interactionist Approach to Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is the interactionist approach?

Answer 1

An approach that acknowledges that there a biological, psychological and social factors involved in the development of schizophrenia

Question 2

What are 2 examples of biological factors involved in schizophrenia?

Answer 2

• Genetic vulnerability
• Neurochemical/Neurological abnormality

Question 3

What is one example of a psychological factor involved in schizophrenia?

Answer 3

• Stress

Question 4

What is one example of a social factor involved in schizophrenia?

Answer 4

• Poor quality interactions in the family

Question 5

Describe the diathesis-stress model

Answer 5

• Suggests that both a vulnerability to schizophrenia and stress trigger are necessary to develop the disorder

Question 6

Describe Meehl’s model

Answer 6

• Diathesis (vulnerability) entirely genetic, as a result of a schizogene
• Leads to schizotypic personality which consists of a sensitivity to stress
• If a person does not have the schizogene then no amount of stress would lead to schizophrenia

Question 7

Describe the modern understanding of stress in the diathesis-stress model

Answer 7

• Houston et al: stress is anything that risks triggering schizophrenia
• Cannabis is a stressor
• Increases the risk of schizophrenia by up to 7 times
• Cannabis interferes with the dopamine system

Question 8

What did Ripke et al identify about genetic vulnerability?

Answer 8

• There is no single gene for schizophrenia
• Many different genes can increase genetic vulnerability

Question 9

What model did Read et al propose?

Answer 9

• Neurodevelopmental model
• Early trauma e.g child abuse alters the developing brain
• e.g HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) system can become overactive, making a person more vulnerable to later stress

Question 10

How is schizophrenia treated according to the interactionist approach?

Answer 10

By combining antipsychotic medication and psychological therapies e.g CBT

Question 11

What did Turkington et al suggest about the treatment of schizophrenia?

Answer 11

It is possible to believe in biological causes of schizophrenia and still practice psychological interventions to relieve symptoms

Question 12

Two strengths for the interactionist approach to schizophrenia

Answer 12

Support for vulnerability and triggers:
- Tienari et al
- Shows that a combination of genetic vulnerability and family stress can lead to increased risk of schizophrenia

Real-world application:
- Effectiveness for combination of biological and psychological treatments
- Tarrier et al: randomly allocated 315 participants
- Medicine + CBT, medicine + counselling, medicine only (control)
- Those in combination groups showed lower symptoms
- Practical advantage of interactionist approach

Question 13

One limitation for the interactionist approach to schizophrenia

Answer 13

Diathesis and stress are complex:
- Diathesis portrayed as schizogene, stress portrayed as schizophrenogenic parenting
- SImplistic, multiple genes in multiple combinations influence diathesis
- Stress is not limited to dysfunctional parenting
- Houston et al: childhood abuse as major influence on underlying vulvnerability
- Multiple factors both biological and psychological affecting diathesis and stress

Question 14

Describe Tienari et al’s study into genetic vulnerability and psychological triggers

Answer 14

• 19,000 Finnish children whose biological mothers diagnosed with schizophrenia (high risk)
• Compared to control group of adoptees without family history of schizophrenia (low risk)
• Adoptive parents assessed for child-rearing style
• Found high levels of criticism, conflict and low empathy associated with development of schizophrenia (only for high risk)