Individual Explanation For Schizophrenia - Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Ego defense mechanism- regression (fixation)

Answer 1

Over or under gratification during particular psycho-sexual stages - individuals become fixated
-desires can manifest in adulthood + act (kissing, suck thumb, chewing gum)
-Frued argue most schizo fixate in 1st or 2nd month of oral

Question 2

Ego defense mechanism- regression (Regression)

Answer 2

In adulthood, when experience excessive stress - individual can regress back to fixated libido stage (oral)
-tripartite back to stage of fixation
-regression part of ego defense mechanism

Question 3

Ego defense mechanism- regression (losing touch with reality)

Answer 3

If regressed nothing to control id, infant only has id
-hallucinations + delusions caused by infant inability to separate fiction from reality or logical think by ego
- try to know what’s real + not create alt. Reality of seeing or hearing things

Narcissism - has the same immature thoughts as infants. No ego keeping in check no superego to judge immoral actions causes delusions

Question 4

The schizophrenogenic mother

Answer 4

Mother is a large cause in making children schizophrenic

Fromm-Reichman - Mothers are dominant over child
-over-protective + controlling also cold + distance, not acknowledging children behaviour
-over protective negatively impact child development
- this type of mother known as schizophrenogenic (schizophrenia causing)

Question 5

Evaluation - Generalisbility

Answer 5

Freud only focus on Schreber accounts for schizo
-biased, schizo characteristics has range (catatonic behaviour, flatness of affect)
-biased, Frued use Schreber as account match his theory
-not reliable- cannot replicate study

Question 6

Evaluation - Psychoanalysis useless

Answer 6

Frued argue psychoanalysis therapy not suitable for schizo, lack insight for talkative therapy, so psychodynamic approach may not be suitable to explain schizophrenia
-strupp et al
Psychoanalysis therapy cause more harm than good
Patient with schizo experience past trauma when they are emotionally incapable can cause psychological harm
If therapy cause more harm than good explanation has no merit

Question 7

Schizophrenogenic mother

Answer 7

No causal relationship

Is it mother personality led to schizo children (argued by Fromm-Reichman)
Or schizo child causes mother to behave negatively
Or children are difficult to work with cuz prodromal symptoms makes mother hard to bond

No definite cause are found - lower validity

Question 8

Evaluation - nurture

Answer 8

Psychodynamic only focus on nurture (environmental stressor, upbringing)
-ignore factors such as gene
- Heston et al - adoption study
47 adoptee with schizo mum, 50 don’t, 11 with had schizo, 0% no