interactionist approach in explaining and treating Sz

Question 1

What does the Interactionist approach suggest?

Answer 1

. suggests Sz developed due to combination of biological, psychological and social factors
. known as diathesis-stress model

Question 2

Diathesis

Answer 2

. vulnerability
. at risk
. more likely to develop Sz

Question 3

Stress

Answer 3

. negative psychological experience
. trigger

Question 4

Explaining schizophrenia: diathesis-stress model - Meehl

Answer 4

. Meehl’s original diathesis-stress model diathesis entirely genetic
. down to single ‘schizo-gene’ made someone sensitive to stress
. suggested if person not have schizo-gene no amount of stress would lead to Sz
. if have gene stress through childhood - schizophrenogenic mother lead to Sz

Question 5

Explaining schizophrenia: diathesis-stress model - now believed

Answer 5

. now believed no single schizo-gene
. but many genes that increase genetic vulnerability to Sz - polygenic
. also believed factors other than genes can be diathesis
. e.g. psychological trauma
. early severe trauma (child abuse) seriously affect aspects brain development - make person later vulnerable to stress

Question 6

Explaining schizophrenia: diathesis-stress model - cannabis

Answer 6

. modern definition of stress includes anything risks triggering Sz not just parenting
. recent research concerned cannabis use
. cannabis = stressor - increases risk Sz up to 7 times
. due to its interference with dopamine system
. not everyone develops Sz after smoking cannabis
. suggest also be one/more vulnerability factor

Question 7

Treating schizophrenia: diathesis-stress model - type of treatment

Answer 7

. interactionist model considers both biological and psychological factors in development of Sz
. so compatible with both biological and psychological treatments for Sz
. particularly combination antipsychotics and psychological therapy commonly CBT
. in UK - CBT, family therapy and drug therapy combined

Question 8

Treating schizophrenia: diathesis-stress model - Turkington

Answer 8

. Turkington et al (2006)
. possible believe in biological causes of Sz
. and still practise CBT to relieve psychological symptoms
. requires adopting interactionist model
. not possible to adopt purely biological approach
. not able tell patient their condition is purely biological
. and that is no psychological significance to symptoms
. but treat with CBT

Question 9

AO3 for the interactionist approach in EXPLAINING schizophrenia: RTS by Tienari - adopted children

Answer 9

P - RTS interactionist approach explaining Sz - Tienari et al
E - followed 19,000 adopted children Finland mothers had Sz - compared them to control group adopted children no genetic risk - child rearing styles of adoptive parents observed
E - children brought up in families lot of conflict/ low empathy (family dysfunction) more likely to develop Sz - but only in children had genetic vulnerability not control group.
L - suggests both genetic vulnerability and family related stress important in development of Sz

Question 10

AO3 for the interactionist approach in EXPLAINING and TREATING schizophrenia: individual differences

Answer 10

P - limitation interactionist approach explaining and treating Sz i individual differences,
E - e.g. two people may have same vulnerability and stressor
E - but one may not develop Sz
L - so we do not have full understanding of interactionist approach explaining and treating Sz - more research need to be conducted.

Question 11

AO3 for the interactionist approach in TREATING schizophrenia: RTS by Tarrier - combined therapy

Answer 11

P - RTS interactionist approach treating Sz by Tarrier et al
E - 315 patients randomly allocated to treatment conditions
E - found patients given combined therapy medication and CBT/counselling had lower symptom levels than control group just one treatment (medication)
L - so suggests by adopting interactionist approach - using both biological and psychological therapies patient’s Sz symptoms treated more effectively.

Question 12

AO3 for the interactionist approach in TREATING and EXPLAINING schizophrenia: not correct - Jarvis + Okami

Answer 12

P - despite RTS by Tarrier - interactionist approach treating and explaining Sz may not correct
E - Jarvis and Okami just cause combining both biological and psychological treatments more effective in treating Sz - not mean it is interaction of two that causes Sz
E - logical error known as ‘treatment-causation fallacy’
L - is limitation of interactionist approach to explaining and treating Sz