Interactionist approach Flashcards
AO1
In Meehl’s original diathesis stress model, diathesis (vulnerability) was entirely genetic. It was down to a single ‘schizo-gene’, which made somebody sensitive to stress. Meehl suggested that if a person does not have this schizo-gene then no amount of stress would lead to schizophrenia. However, if you have the gene, stress through childhood, such as having a schizophrenogenic mother could lead to schizophrenia. Modern explanation of diathesis However, it is now believed that there is no single schizo-gene, but that it is many genes that increase generic vulnerability to schizophrenia (polygenic). It is also believed that factors other than genes can be a diathesis such as psychological trauma. Early and severe enough trauma, such as child abuse can seriously affect aspects of brain development and can make a person more vulnerable to stress in later life. Moreover, a modern definition of stress (trigger) includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia, not just parenting. Much of the recent research has concerned cannabis use. In terms of the diathesis-stress model cannabis is the stressor because it increases the risk of schizophrenia by up to seven times according to the dose. Probably due to its interference with the dopamine system. However, not everyone develops schizophrenia after smoking cannabis suggesting there must also be one or more vulnerability factors.
AO1: Intro
The Interactionist approach suggests that schizophrenia is developed due to a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. This is known as the diathesis-stress model.
AO1: Treatment
If schizophrenia is due to a combination of diathesis (risk factors) and stress (triggers) it makes sense to use a treatment process that uses a combination of therapies. Many researchers argue that a combination of drug therapy can be appropriate as an initial treatment to manage schizophrenic symptoms such as delusion and hallucinations. Then treatments should use a therapy such as CBT to challenge the patient’s responses to stressors. In the UK, treatments such as CBT, family therapy and drug therapy are often combined to take an interactionist approach, to target diathesis and stress.
Evaluations (3)
1) RTS explaining
2) RTS treatment
3) Individual differences
AO3: RTS explaining
Research to support the interactionist approach in explaining schizophrenia comes from Tienari et al (2004). They followed up 19,000 adopted children in Finland whose mothers had schizophrenia and compared them to a control group of adopted children without any genetic risk. The child rearing styles of the adoptive parents were observed. Those children who were brought up in families with a lot of conflict and low empathy (family dysfunction) were much more likely to develop schizophrenia but only in the children who had a genetic vulnerability, not the control group. This suggests that both genetic vulnerability and family related stress are important in the development of schizophrenia. Therefore, increasing the validity of the interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia.
AO3: RTS treatment
Research to support the interactionist approach in treating schizophrenia was conducted by Tarrier et al (2004). 315 patients were randomly allocated to treatment conditions. They found that patients given a combined therapy of medication and CBT/counselling had lower symptom levels than a control group with just one treatment (medication). This suggests by adopting an interactionist approach and using both biological and psychological therapies, patient’s schizophrenic symptoms will be treated more effectively. Therefore, increasing the validity of the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia.
AO3: Individual differences
However, one limitation of the interactionist approach to explaining/treating schizophrenia is that there are individual differences, for example two people may have the same vulnerability and stressor but one may not develop schizophrenia. Likewise, two individuals can receive the same combination of treatment such as drugs and CBT, but both to not have the same recovery outcome. This means that we do not have a full understanding of the interactionist between diathesis and stress in explaining/treating schizophrenia. Therefore, more research may need to be conducted, to increase credibility of the interactionist approach.
