cognitive explanations for schizophrenia

Question 1

dysfunctional thinking

Answer 1

focuses on role of mental processes.
associated with several types of dysfunctional thought processing and this can be used to explain sz as a whole
reduced thought processing in the ventral straitum is associated with negative symptoms
reduced processing in the temporal lobe and the cingulate gyri is associated with hallucinations
this lower than usual thought processing suggests cognition is likely to be impaired.

Question 2

metarepresentation dysfunction

Answer 2

FRITH identified two kinds of dysfunctional thought processes
1) meta representation- ability to reflect on our thoughts and behaviour, have personal goals and also the behaviour of others. dysfunction would mean we are unable to differentiate between behaviour that is ours or someone elses. this would explain hallucinations of hearing voices and delusions like thought insertion.

Question 3

central control dysfunction

Answer 3

2) FRITH also came up with central control dysfunction theory. identified issues with the cognitive ability to supress automatic responses while we perform deliberate actions. this can explain speech poverty and thouht disorder as the person is unable to supress other thoughts

Question 4

evaluation strengths

Answer 4

evidence from dysfunctional thought processing
stirling compared 30 sz patients to 30 without sz
naming colour of font not word
would have to surpress temptation to read word
people with sz took twice as long to name font colours
this supports the theory that information processing is impaired in people with Sz.

Question 5

evaluations weaknesses

Answer 5

only explains the proximal origins of symptoms
explain what is happening now to cause symptoms and not what happened to cause the disorder in the first place like family dysfunction explanations
ignores evidenced role of biology
only really explains positive symptoms

Question 6

cbt

Answer 6

can help clients make sense of irrational thoughts such as delusions and hallucinations
understanding where the hallucinations come from can also be reassuring
it doesnt eliminate symptoms but makes dealing with them easier and in turn reduces distress enabling them to function more adequately
normalisation is a stratergy by which people are told that their hearing hallucinations are simly an extension onto the narrative everybody has in their minds and not external
delusions are challanged through reality testing person with sz and therapist jointly examine he liklihood of the delusions being true
in some cases delusions are resistant to reality testing but cbt can still be used to reduced anxiety of them.

Question 7

cbt evaluation strengths

Answer 7

evidence of effectiveness
meta analysis of cbt 34 studies
there is evidence for small but signoficant effects of postive AND negative symptoms
NICE also recommend cbt

Question 8

cbt evaluation weaknesses

Answer 8

• Short term effectiveness - when comparing CBT to standard care after 18 months the individuals all had the same relapse rates - effects are short lived