Interactionist Approach

Question 1

What is the interactionist approach?

Answer 1

A broad approach explaining schizophrenia, which acknowledges that a range of factors, including biological and psychology factors are involved in the development.

Question 2

Meehl’s model (1962):

Answer 2

Vulnerability to schizophrenia is entirely genetic - there’s a single schizogene.

Led to development of biologically based schizotypic personality.

If a person doesn’t have the schizogene, no amount of stress would lead to the disorder.

Question 3

What is the modern understanding of the distressing stress model?

Answer 3

Clear that many genes increase vulnerability slightly.

There are a range of factors beyond genetic, including psychological trauma.

Trauma becomes the diathesis feather than the stressor.

Question 4

Read et al. (2001):

Answer 4

Proposed a neurodevelopmental model in which early trauma alters the developing brain.
Early and severe trauma such a child abuse can seriously affect brain development.

Question 5

Houston et al.

Answer 5

Modern definition of stress includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia.

Question 6

The relation between cannabis and schizophrenia

Answer 6

Cannabis is a stressor that increases the risk of schizophrenia by up to 7x according to the dose.
Cannabis interferes with the dopamine system.

Question 7

Turkington et al. (2006):

Answer 7

Can believe in biological causes but still practise CBT to relieve psychological symptoms, requires and interactionist approach

Question 8

Treatment according to the interactionist model

Answer 8

Combining antipsychotic drugs and psychological therapies such as CBT.

Question 9

Tienari et al. (2004):

Answer 9

Children from 19,000 Finnish mothers with schizophrenia followed up - adoptive parents assessed for child-rearing style and rates of schizophrenia were compared to a control group.

Rearing style of high levels of criticism and conflict and low levels of empathy involved in the development.

Question 10

Tarrier et al. (2004):

Answer 10

315 patients randomly allocated to a medication and CBT group, medication and supportive counselling or a control group of just medication.

• patients in combination groups showed lower symptom levels
• no difference in rates of hospital readmission

Question 11

A03 points for the interactionist approach

Answer 11

• Tienari - genetic vulnerability and environment both important
• diathesis stress model reductionist
• ## Tarrier - supporting usefulness of approach