Explanations for Schizophrenia Flashcards
State the biological explanations (3)
- Genetics
- Neural correlates
- Dopamine hypothesis
State the psychological explanations (2)
- Family dysfunctions
- Cognitive explanations
State the family dysfunctions (3)
- Schizophrenogenic mother
- Double bind
- Expressed emotion
State the cognitive explanations (3)
- Dysfunctional thought processing
- Meta-representation
- Central control
AO1: Genetic theory
The genetic explanation states that schizophrenia is hereditary and passed on from one generation to the next through genes. A person is born with a genetic predisposition to SZ. Several maladaptive candidate genes such as PCM1 are involved (polygenic) which increases an individuals vulnerability to developing SZ. Studies have shown that 108 separate genetic variations are associated in the risk of developing SZ. Gottesman studied 40 twins and found that concordance rates for monozygotic twins was 48% and only 17% for dizygotic twins. Therefore the closer the genetic link to someone with SZ the higher the chance of developing SZ.
AO3 for the Genetic theory
Research to support the genetic theory in the development of SZ comes from Tierney. He studied 155 adopted children who had biological mothers with SZ and found that they had a concordance rate of 10% compared to 1% in adopted children without schizophrenic parents. This provides significant support for the role of genetics as the role of Social Learning Theory (observing and imitating the behaviours of schizophrenic parent) could not have been factor as the children were adopted. Therefore increasing the validity of genetics as a biological explanation of schizophrenia.
Neural correlates intro
The idea of neural correlates is that abnormalities with specific brain areas may be associated with the development of SZ. Brain scanning such as fMRI scans are used to compare brain scans of people with SZ compared to people without to identify brain areas that may be linked to SZ.
AO1: Neural correlates - Brain structure or function
One neural correlate of SZ is enlarged ventricles. A meta analysis by Raz and Raz found that over half individuals tested with SZ has enlarged ventricle size compared to a control group. Enlarged ventricles are associated with damage to central brain areas and the pre-frontal cortex, this is associated with negative symptoms of SZ.
Stretch - Neural correlates - Brain structure or function
The frontal lobe is damaged meaning they are unable to make logical decisions leading to avolition. If the frontal lobe is damaged Broca’s area is damaged causing speech poverty.
AO3: Neural correlates - Brain structure or function
Research to support the role of neural correlates as an explanation of SZ comes from Suddath et al. He used MRI scans to investigate the brain structure of monozygotic twins in which one twin was schizophrenic. The twin with SZ had enlarged ventricles. This suggests enlarged ventricles do play a role in determining the likelihood of SZ developing. Therefore increasing the validity of neural correlates as a biological explanation of SZ.
AO1: Neural correlates - Dopamine hypothesis
The brains neurotransmitters appear to work differently in the brain of a patient with SZ. In particular dopamine is widely believed to be involved as individuals with SZ may release too much dopamine or have too much D2 receptors on the post synaptic neuron.
Hyperdopaminergia in the sub cortex is high dopamine activity in the central areas of the brain such as Broca’s area (responsible for speech poverty) may be associated with auditory hallucinations.
Hypodopaminergia in the cortex is low dopamine activity in the prefrontal cortex (thinking and decision making) have been associated with negative symptoms of SZ such as avolition.
Stretch: Neural correlates - Dopamine hypothesis
It has been suggested that cortical hypodopaminergia leads to subcortical hyperdopaminergia. Both high and low dopamine activity levels in different brain regions are involved in different symptoms of SZ.
What are the four evaluations for the biological explanation (overall)
1) Scientific methods
2) Biological determinism
3) Practical applications
4) Alternative explanations
AO3: Biological explanation - Scientific methods
The biological approach of SZ uses scientific methods so its open to scientific rigour. This is because key concepts such as areas of the brain linked to SZ (enlarged ventricles) and specific genes (PCM1) can be objectively and empirically tested and falsified through gene mapping and brain scans such as fMRI. It could be argued that this increases the overall internal validity of the biological explanation of SZ raising Pyschologys Scientific Status.
AO3: Biological explanation - determinism
However, the biological explanation of SZ can be criticised for biological determinism. The theory that an individual is controlled by internal factors such as high dopamine activity (hyperdopaminergia) in the sub cortex which inevitably causes auditory hallucinations. Therefore it neglects the role of free will and choice individuals have feeling like they have no control over their behaviour. Therefore this limits the biological explanation for SZ.
AO3: Stretch - Biological explanation - determinism
Furthermore, its seen as unethical as it can leave victims families feeling guilty as they have passed on a gene that has affected their children and it can’t be stopped.
AO3: Biological explanation - Practical applications
A strength of the biological explanation of SZ is that it has practical applications. The principles of the theory that SZ is caused by an imbalance of dopamine had led to drug therapies such as typical and atypical antipsychotics. These are drugs are effective in treating SZ by balancing levels of dopamine in the patients brains a reducing positive symptoms of SZ such as hallucinations and delusions. Therefore this is an important part of applied psychology as it increases the credibility of the biological explanation of SZ.
AO3: Biological explanation - alternative explanation
An alternative explanation for the development of SZ is family dysfunction. This would argue that SZ is due to faulty communication patterns within a family such as schizophrenogenic mother where the mother is cold a creates a family climate characterised by tension and secrecy. This leads to distrust which later develops into paranoid delusions rather than delusions being due to dopamine/genes/neural correlates. Therefore the biological explanation of SZ is not the only explanation that needs to be considered.
What is the intro for family dysfunction?
The family is dysfunctional in the way they communicate with each other as they have high levels of tension and arguments. This results in creating risk factors for the development and relapse of schizophrenic symptoms.
AO1: Schizophrenogenic mother - family dysfunction - psychological
The idea that schizophrenia is caused by the patients early experience of a schizophrenogenic mother. A schizophrenogenic mother is cold, controlling, rejecting emotionally unresponsive and builds a family characterised by tension and secrecy. This leads to distrust that later develops into paranoid delusions (positive) in schizophrenia. The father in families is often passive.
AO1: Double bind communication - family dysfunction - psychological
Bateson et al argues that schizophrenia is due to faulty communication patterns that exist within families. This communication type is double bind communication this occurs when the parent communicates a verbal message which isn’t matched with their non verbal message so the child receives mixed messages. For example a father may be verbally loving but emotionally rejecting for example becoming rigid when the child tries to show affection. These conflicting, confusing form of communication can contribute or cause schizophrenia. The child feels they can’t do the right thing and becomes increasingly anxious leading to them withdrawing and avoiding social contact - signs of avolition and mixed messages result in disorganised thinking and paranoid delusions
AO1: Expressed emotions - family dysfunction - psychological
This is the level of emotion, in particular negative emotion, expressed towards a patient by their family members. High levels of expressed emotion such as,
· Verbal criticism and occasional violence towards the patient
· Hostility towards the patient, including anger and rejection
· Emotional over-involvement in their life.
This can cause stress in the patient and the constant harassment from the family can trigger onset schizophrenia.
The stress caused is a primary explanation for relapse in patients with schizophrenia. This is because when a patient with SZ is placed back into the stressful environment, there is a resurgence of positive and negative symptoms.
What are the AO3 for family dysfunction (4)
- RTS schizophrenogenic mother
- RTS double bind communication
- Practical applications
- alternative explanation - bio explanation
AO3: RTS schizophrenogenic mother - family dysfunction - psychological
Research to support the schizophrenogenic mother comes from Mednick et al. They researched 207 children (high risk for developing SZ) who were raised in dysfunctional families where the mothers were cold, rejecting and emotionally responsive to their children’s needs. It was found 10 years later, 17 children of the high risk were diagnosed with SZ. This is 8% compared compared to the 1% of the general population. This supports the schizophrenogenic mother explanation as it shows characteristics of a schizophrenogenic mother increase the likelihood of a person developing SZ. Therefore increasing the validity of a family dysfunction as a psychological explanation of SZ.
