Individual differences: Schizophrenogenic Mother Flashcards
A01 description
During the late 40s and early 50s many researchers found that the mother child relationship was disordered in cases where the child was schizophrenic (Lidz and Lidz), Fromm-Reichman suggested that the trigger came from mothers who were overly dominant toward the schizophrenic child. however, while they were being controlling and overprotective they were also cold and distant. This over protection stifles the Childs development and their distance made the child feel emotionally insecure. This type of mother is called schizophrenogenic
Schofield and Balian
Schofield and Bailan studied the early lives of schizophrenic and non schizophrenic patients. The only significant difference they found between the two groups was the quality of maternal relationships, where the schizophrenics were more likely to have had less affectionate mothers
Mischler
Mischler carried out and observation of mothers with schizophrenic children and found that mothers tend to be aloof, unresponsive and emotionally distant, but only towards their schizophrenic children, but will behave normally towards their non-schizophrenic children.
Mednick
Mednick Identified 207 children who were at risk of developing schizophrenia due to being raised in dysfunctional families. More specifically raised in families where the mother was temperamental, cold, and emotionally aggressive. These children were compared to a control group of 207 children, None of either sample had schizophrenia at the start of the study. Within 10 years, 17 of the high risk group developed schizophrenia, whereas only 1 in the control group.
Kanin
Kanin gathered data through interviews and case report studies which are prone to methodological problems such as research bias, that reduce the internal and external validity. The case reports were retrospective so detail may have been recalled incorrectly or may have been biased towards reporting maternal over protection due to leading questions. However, the schizophrenic mother theory could explain why schizophrenia runs in families, particularly between siblings as they would have had the same spring from the same mother
Waring and Ricks
Waring and ricks supports the evidence however instead of the mothers being harsh and withholding, they found that they tended to be shy, anxious withdrawn and incoherent. In addition, other research has shown that the mothers personality is not a reliable predictor of mental illness. However, even if there were a relationship between the mother personality and Childs likelihood of developing schizophrenia, the cause and effect is not clear cut. It may be the Childs diagnoses which causes the mother to act and treat the child as more distant and cold. Or the children who go on to develop schizophrenia are difficult children when small, therefore its harder for mothers to bond with them.
Parker
Revised schizophrenogenic mother research and argues that the schizophenogenic mother does not exist , rather a parental type distinguished to be hostile critical and intrusive styles, and this type is not particularly over-represented in parents of schizophrenics. The theory does not address situations where the schizophrenic grew up with warm caring mothers nor does it dress non-schizophrenics who had cold distant mothers.
Ethical concerns
Biggest issues is that it places the blame solely on mothers. This may have induced serious ethical concerns relating to psychological harm, where mothers of schizophrenics experience shame or guilt. Thankfully, due to the lack of empirical evidence and other evidence to the contrary, this theory has fallen out of fashion and today is regarded and embarrassing, sexist holdover from a less enlightened time. for example Wild et al found that it was fathers of schizophrenics rather than the mother who plays a more dominant role.
