An Interactionist Approach to Sz

Question 1

What is the diathesis stress model

Answer 1

It is a model which sees Sz as a result of interaction between biological and environmental influences.

Question 2

How are the biological and psychological theories combined in diathesis stress

Answer 2

Family studies suggest that people have varying levels of genetic vulnerability to Sz, but that environmental factors like levels of stress determine if these are realised

Question 3

How do twin studies support diathesis stress

Answer 3

50% of identical twns where one is diagnosed with Sz, the other never meets the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. This discordance among identical twins indicates environmental factors must also play a role in determining if a biological vulnerability for Sz actually develops

Question 4

What forms can stress take in the diathesis stress model

Answer 4

-Childhood trauma
-Highly Urbanised Environmnets
etc

Question 5

What reserach showed the relationship between trauma and development of Sz

Answer 5

Varese found children who experienced extreme trauma before 16 were 3x as likely to develop Sz

Question 6

Who found that those who experienced trauma before 16 were 3x as likely to develop Sz

Answer 6

Varese

Question 7

What research has supported the view that high levels of urbanisation is associated with developing Sz

Answer 7

A meta analysis by Vasos et al found that risk of developing Sz in urban environments was 2.37 higher than in most rural environments. It is not clear why this is the case but it could be the more adverse living conditions of the city

Question 8

Who found those in cities were 2.37 times more likely to develop Sz

Answer 8

Vasos

Question 9

What was a key study for the diathesis stress model

Answer 9

Tienari et al’s study which tested if genetic factors moderate susceptibility to envrionemental risks associated with adoptive family functioning. 20,000 hospital records were reviewed for women admitted to psychiatric hospitals, identifying those who were diagnosed with Sz or paranoid psychoses. 145 had offspring adopted away and these were compared to 158 adoptees without genetic risk. These children were assessed and adopted families were assessed for family functioning.

Question 10

What were the findings of Tienari’s adoption study

Answer 10

11 of the 145 high risk adoptees developed Sz while 3 of the low risk group did. However those reared in a healthy adoptive family appeared to have a protective effect from Sz. High genetic risk children reared in a poorly functioning family were more likely to develop Sz. In those with high genetic risk, but not in those with low genetic risk, adoptive family stress was a significant predictor os Sz

Question 11

Why is it an issue that the Diathesis stress view focuses exclusively on genes in terms of ‘vulnerability’ (eval)

Answer 11

Because increased risk can also result from brain damage caused by environmental factors,with Verdoux et al estimating that the risk of developing Sz later in life for those experiencing obstetric complications (long labour causing oxygen deprivation) at birth was 4x greater than for someone with no complications. This suggests brain damage plays a role in Sz, but some researchers claim that these birth complications and neurological abnormalities are caused by an already compromised fetus

Question 12

Who showed that babies who didn’t get enough oxygen at birth can get Sz

Answer 12

Verdoux

Question 13

Why does the diathesis stress model have difficulties determining causal stress (eval)

Answer 13

Typically diathesis stress references stressful events which occur close to the onset of Sz, but possibly stressors earlier in life can also influence how people respond to later stressful events and increases suseptibility. Hammen argues that maldaptive methods of coping in childhood means the child fails to develop effective coping skills, which compromises resilience and raises vulnerability

Question 14

Who argued that if you don’t adapt in childhood you’re more at risk of Sz

Answer 14

Hammen

Question 15

What are some limitations of Tienari’s study (eval)

Answer 15

They assessed adoptive family stress levels using the OPAS scale (oulu Family Rating Scale), but Tienari acknowledged that this fails to reflect developmental changes in family functioning over time. Observing reciprocal interactions between family and adoptees makes it possible to determine how much of stress observerd is assigned to family and how much is the adoptees themselves

Question 16

What are the implications of the Diathesis stress model on treatment (eval)

Answer 16

Although genetic vulnerability is difficult to address, factors which interact with it can be addressed. Borglum et al found that women infected with cytomegalovirus during pregnancy were more likely to have a child who developed Sz, but only if mother and child carried a certain gene defect. This suggests that antiviral medicine during pregnancy may prevent the onset of Sz in women know to have this gene defect

Question 17

Who found women affected by cytomegalovirus during pregnancy were more likely to have Sz kids

Answer 17

Borglum

Question 18

What virus did Borglum associate with Sz

Answer 18

Cytomegalovirus