Interactionist approach in explaining schizophrenia

Question 1

What is the interactionist approach?

Answer 1

(Biosocial approach) An approach that acknowledges that there are biological, psychological and societal factor in the development of SZ

Question 2

What do biological factors of SZ include?

Answer 2

Genetic vulnerability, neurochemical and neurological abnormalities

Question 3

What do Psychological factors of SZ include?

Answer 3

Stress resulting from life events and daily hassles, including poor quality interactions in the family

Question 4

Diathesis meaning

Answer 4

Vulnerability

Question 5

Who made the original diathesis stress model?

Answer 5

Meehl

Question 6

What was Meehl’s (1962) original diathesis stress model lik?

Answer 6

entirely generic with one specific gene

Question 7

What did the idea of a schizogene lead to?

Answer 7

The idea of a biologically based schizotypic personality

Question 8

What is a characteristic of a schizotypic personality?

Answer 8

Sensitivity to stress

Question 9

What does the modern understanding of diathesis make clear?

Answer 9

That many genes increase genetic vulnerability and there is no single gene, as well as psychological trauma, Ingram and Luxton (2005)

Question 10

Ingram and Luxton (2005)

Answer 10

Modern views of diathesis include genes and psychological trauma so trauma becomes the diathesis rather than the stressor

Question 11

What did Read et al (2001) propose?

Answer 11

a neurodevelopmental model in which early trauma affects brain development. Early and severe enough trauma such as child abuse can have a significant impact (HPA systems become overactive)

Question 12

What does the interactionist model see to be the most fit for schizophrenia?

Answer 12

associated with combining antipsychotic medication and psychological therapies

Question 13

What are the strengths of the interactionist approach?

Answer 13

• There is evidence for the role of vulnerability and triggers showing a dual role, Tienari et al (2004) - Support for the effectiveness of combining treatments, Tarrier et al (2004)

Question 14

How does Tienari et al (2004) study support interactionism?

Answer 14

Studied children adopted away from SZ mothers, the adoptive parents parenting styles were assessed and compared with a control group of adoptees with no genetic risk. A child rearing style with high levels of criticism, conflict and low levels of empathy was implicated in the development of SZ but only for children with high genetic risk

Question 15

How does Tarrier et al (2004) research support the interactionist approach?

Answer 15

Randomly allocated 315 patients to 1. med/cbt group 2. med/counselling group or 3. control group. In the two combination groups (1 and 2) lower symptoms were shown than those in the control group (meds only)

Question 16

What are the limitations of the interactionist approach?

Answer 16

• The original diathesis-stress model is too simplistic, Houston et al (2008) - not known how diathesis stress works - Treatment-causation fallacy, Turkington et al (2006)

Question 17

Houston et al (2008)

Answer 17

Found childhood sexual trauma was a diathesis and cannabis use a trigger, showing the old idea of diathesis as overly simple

Question 18

Why is the original diathesis-stress model too simple?

Answer 18

Multiple genes increase vulnerability and there is no schizogene. Stress can also include biological factors

Question 19

Turkington et al (2006)

Answer 19

Argues the fact that combined biological and psychological therapies are more effective than either on their own does not necessarily mean the interactionist approach to schizophrenia is correct (treatment causation therapy)