Interactionist Approach to Schiz Flashcards
Outline the diathesis-model of Schizophrenia
Both vulnerability to schiz & stress-trigger necessary to develop condition
Meehl’s Model (1962):
-Diathesis (vulnerability) = entirely genetic, result of ‘Schizogene’
-Led to idea of biologically based schizotypic personality (being sensitive to stress)
-Meehl: if person doesn’t have schizogene no amount of stress leads to schiz
-Carriers of gene could develop it through chronic stress through childhood & adolescence
Outline the modern understandings of diathesis
-Many genes appear to increase genetic vulnerability only slightly - no single ‘schizogene’ (Ripke et al. (2014)
-Diathesis includes factors beyond genetic, e.g. psychological trauma, so trauma becomes diathesis not stressor
-Read et al. (2001) proposed neurodevelopmental model where early trauma alters developing brain
-Early & severe trauma can seriously affect many aspects of brain development
Outline the modern understanding of stress for Schizophrenia
-In original diathesis-stress model, stress seen as psychological, e.g. parenting (this is still vital)
-Modern definition of stress = anything that risks triggering stress
-Much of recent research into schiz into factors triggering schiz = weed use (up to 7x increase according to dose as weed interferes with dopamine system)
-Most people don’t develop after smoking weed as they lack requisite vulnerability factors
Outline the importance of adopting an interactionist approach to explaining and treating Schizophrenia
-Acknowledges both biological & psychological factors in schiz, thus compatible with both biological & psychological treatments
-This model associated with combination of antipsychotic medicine & psych therapies, e.g. CBT
-Turkington et al. (2006): Possible to believe in biological cases of Schiz & still practise CBT to relieve psychological symptoms
-Requires adopting interactionist model - it’s impossible to adopt purely bio approach & tell schizos their condition is purely bio & there’s no psychological significance to symptoms, then simultaneously treat them with CBT
-GBR = treat schiz with combination of antipsychotic drugs & CBT
-USA = more conflict between psych & bio models of schiz - slower adoption of interactionist approach
Evaluate the interactionist approach to both explaining & treating Schizophrenia
STRENGTH - Evidence support for vulnerability & triggers
-Tienari (2004) investigated impact of both genetic vulnerability & psychological triggers
-Study followed 19,000 Finnish children whose bio mums diagnosed with schiz
-In adulthood this high-risk group compared to control group of adoptees without family history of schiz
-Adoptive parents assessed for child-rearing style & found high levels of criticism, hostility & low levels of empathy associated with development of schiz, only in high genetic risk group
-Shows combination of genetic vulnerability & family stress can lead to greatly increased risk of schiz
LIMITATION - Diathesis & stress are more complex (they’re oversimplified)
-Original model portrayed diathesis as single schizogene & portrayed stress as schizophregenic parenting is simplistic
-Multiple genes in multiple combinations influence diathesis
-Diathesis can also be influenced by psych factors & stress can be bio as well as psych
-Houston et al. (2008) childhood sexual abuse was major influence on underlying vulnerability to schiz & weed use as major trigger
-Menas that there’s multiple factors, both bio & psych, affecting both diathesis & stress, supporting modern understanding of both diathesis & stress
STRENGTH - Real-world application (combo of bio & psych treatments)
-Practical application of acknowledging bio & psych factors in schiz has been combo of drug treatment & psych therapies
-Studies show combining treatments enhance effectiveness
-Terrier (2004) randomly allocated 315 parties to:
1. Medication & CBT 2. Medication & counselling 3. Control group (medication only)
-Parties in two combo groups showed lower symptoms after trial than medication-only group, though there was no difference in hospital remission
-Means there’s clear practical advantage to adopting interactionist approach to schiz in terms of superior treatment outcomes
HOWEVER, Jarvis & Okami (2019) identify saying successful treatment for mental disorder justifies particular explanation = equivalent of saying alcohol reduces shyness, thus shyness caused by lack of alcohol (treatment-causation fallacy)
-Thus, we can’t automatically assume success of combined therapies means interactionist explanations are correct
