Individual Differences Of Schizophrenia - Psychodynamic Explanation Evaluation

Question 1

Research support for the schizophrenogenic mother

Answer 1

S- there has been research to support
E- research explained hospital case records of SZ patients and found that maternal overprotection was present in 35/45 cases
E- this implicates the role of the schizophrenogenic mothers being the potential cause for SZ
C- however a small and unrepresentative sample of 1/3 of individuals showed no signs of maternal overprotection. therefore it is subjective, vague and weakens the explanation meaning there’s other factors
W- despite that, at least there is some research that can be studied on to help identify causes of SZ in the meantime

Question 2

Freudian concepts are outdated

Answer 2

S- one weakness of Freudian concepts are that they are outdated
E- as psychology has progressed and sought empirical research support for explanations of human behaviour, the unfalsifiable nature of the approach became problematic
E-the approach can be seen as unfalsifiable due to the lack of testable hypothesis and therefore the lack of ability to be able to possibly prove concepts such as the tripartite personality and the unconscious mind wrong
W- therefore, psychodynamic explanations as whole lack scientific proof and are no more than a historical theory

Question 3

Social sensitivity

Answer 3

S- this approach has harmful social and ethical implications
E- the theory of schizophrenogenic mothers places heavy blame on the mother for the development of SZ through stating that oral fixation stems back to the maternal role in breastfeeding
E- this harmful representation perpetuates the idea that mothers of children with SZ are unable to fulfil the role and give their child a healthy upbringing.
W- this therefore leads to guilt, stigma and does more harm than good by shaming mothers already struggling to care for their child with SZ in a society so ignorant

Question 4

Overlooks the role of genetics

Answer 4

S- the approach suggests that SZ is a problem of nurture yet there is strong evidence of biological factors in SZ .
E - Heston reported that 10.6% of those who had a biological mother with SZ were also diagnosed with SZ. whereas 0% of those who did not have a biological mother with SZ had also been diagnosed.
E- this suggests that it might be the co-occurance of shared genes between mother and child, rather than how the mother raises the child, that is responsible for SZ
W- therefore the psychodynamic approach is not effective enough to explain the causes of SZ as it doesn’t fully explore other factors scientifically.