interactionist approach

Question 1

interactionist approach

Answer 1

there are biological, psychological and social factors in the development of schiz.
biological- genetic vulnerability, neurochemical and neurological abnormality.
psychological- stress from life events and daily hassles.
social- poor quality family interactions.
factors dont simply add together but combine/interact in a way that can’t be predicted by each one seperately.

Question 2

diathesis-stress model

Answer 2

an interactionist approach. both an underlying vulnerability to schiz and a stress-trigger are necessary to develop schiz.
many underlying factors can make someone vulnerable to developing, but onset of condition triggered by stress.

(early- vulnerability genetic. triggers psych. now- genes and trauma diatheses. stress psych or biological in nature)

Question 3

original diathesis-stress model

Answer 3

meehl (1962)

• diathesis (vulnerability) entirely genetic, result of single ‘schizogene’.
• led to idea of biologically based schizotypic personality, with characteristics such as sensitivity to stress.
• if person doesn’t have schizogene then no amount of stress could lead to schiz.
• in carriers of gene, chronic childhood and adolescence stress (e.g. presence of schizophrenogenic mother) could result in schiz

Question 4

modern understanding of diathesis

Answer 4

ripke et. al (2014- )no single ‘schizogene’. many genes each appear to increase genetic vuln only slightly.

ingram and luxton (2005)- diathesis also include range of factors beyond genetic, e.g. psych trauma. trauma diathesis rather than stressor.
read et. al (2001)- neurodevelopmental model of how early trauma alters developing brain. early and severe trauma e.g. child abuse can seriously affect brain development. e.g. hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system overactive so much more vulnerable to later stress.

Question 5

modern understanding of stress

Answer 5

• houston et. al (2008)- psychological stress still important, but modern understanding of DSM stress includes anything that risks triggering schiz
• e.g. cannabis use. stressor as increases risk of schiz by up to seven times according to dose. may be bc interferes with dopamine system.
• most don’t develop schiz after smoking it presumably because lack requisite vulnerablity factors

Question 6

treatment

Answer 6

• compatible with bio and psych treatments. combining antipsychotics and cbt.
• turkington- can believe bio causes of schiz and still use cbt to relieve psychological symptoms if adopt interactionist approach
• in uk increasingly standard practice to use combination. in us more conflict between psych and bio models so slower adoption of interactionist approach. more common to medicate without psych treatment.

Question 7

strength

evidence supporting vulnerability and triggers

Answer 7

tienari (2004)- impact of both genetic vuln and psych trigger (dysfunctional parenting). 19k adopted finnish children w schiz bio mothers. in adulthood high genetic risk group compared to control of adoptees with low genetic risk (no family history). adoptive parents assessed for child-rearing style.
high criticism, hostility, and low empathy strongly associated w schiz development, only in high genetic risk group.

supports that combination of genetic vuln and family stress cause increased risk of schiz.

Question 8

limitation of original- oversimplicity

Answer 8

diathesis- single schizogene, stress- schizophrenogenic parenting
multiple genes in multiple combinations influence diathesis. stress many forms beyond dysfunctional parenting.
houston (2008)- childhood sexual abuse major influence on underlying vuln to schiz, canabis use main trigger. diathesis can be psych factors and stress can be bio.

multiple factors both bio and psych affecting both diathesis and stress. weakness of original, strength of modern.

Question 9

strength

real-world application

Answer 9

aknowledging both bio and psych factors led to combination of treatments
studies show combining enhances effectiveness
tarrier (2004)- randomly allocated 315 participants to (1) mediaction and cbt (2) medication and counselling or (3) control, medication only.
two combination groups showed lower symptoms following trial than control group (but no diff in hospital readmission)

clear pratical advantage to interactionist approach. superior treatment outcomes.

Question 10

counter

Answer 10

jarvis and okami (2019)- treatment-causation fallacy (logical error)
saying successful treatment justifies particular explanation is logical equivalent of saying because alcohol reduces shyness, shyness caused by lack of alcohol.

cannot automatically assume success of combines therapies means interactionist expls correct.