interactionist approach to schizophrenia

Question 1

what is the diathesis stress model

Answer 1

one way to present interactionist approach
diathesis- vulnerability
stress- negative experience
both vulnerability to schizophrenia and stress trigger necessary in order to develop disorder
one or more underlying factors make person vulnerable to developing schizophrenia but onset of condition is triggered by stress
meehls model- entirely genetic, result of single schizogene, led to idea of biologically based schizotypic personality, one characteristic of which sensitivity is stress, if person does not have schizogene then no amount of stress would lead to schizoprehnia, carriers of gene chronic stress through childhood and adolescence could result in development of disorder
modern understnading of diathesis- genes appear to increase genetic vulnerability only slighty, no single schizogene, include range of factors beyond genetic (trauma), read- neuroevelopmental model early trauma alters developing brain, early and severe enough trauma seriously affect aspects of brain development, hypothalamic pituitary adrenal system can become overactive making person more vulnerable
modern understanding of stress- includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia, much of recent research into factors triggering episode concerned cannabis use, increases risks of schizophrenia by up to 7 times according to dose, interferes with dopamine system, most people dont develop schizophrenia after smoking cannabis becasue they lack requisite vulnerability factors

Question 2

what is treatment according to interactionist model

Answer 2

acknowledges both biological and psychological factors- comaptible with both sets of treatments
combine antipsychotic medication and psychological therapies
turkington- possible to believe biological causes and still practise cbt to relieve psychological symptoms, requires adoptiing interactionist model, not possible to adopt purely biological approach
increasingly standard practise to treat people with schizophrenia with combo of antipsycotic drugs and cbt- britain
history of conflict between psychological and biological models- led to slower adoption of internactionist approach, medication without accompanying psychological treatment- us

Question 3

what is support for vulnerability and triggers (evaluation

Answer 3

evidence supporting both role of vulnerbaility and triggers
tienari-investigated impact of genetic vulnerability and psychological trigger, study followed 19000 finnish children biological mothers diagnosed with schizophrenia, adulthood high egentic risk group compared to control group of adoptees without family history of schizophrenia, adoptive parents assessed for child rearing style and found high levels of criticism, hostility and low levels of empathy associated with development of schizophrenia but only in high genetic risk group
combination of genetic vulnerability and family stress can lead to greatly icnreased risk

Question 4

what is diathesis and stress are complex (evaluation)

Answer 4

oversimplicity
original model portrayed diathesis as single schizogene and stress as schizophrenogenic parenting is hoplessly simplistic
multiple genes in multiple combinations influence diathesis
stress comes in many forms
diathesis can be influenced by psychological factors and stress can be biological as well as psychological
houston-childhood sexual abuse emerged as major influence on underlying vulnerability to schizophrenia and cannabis as major trigger
multiple factors ffecting both diathesis and stress supporting modern understanding

Question 5

what is real world application (evaluation)

Answer 5

combination of biological and psychological treatments
practical application of ackowledging biological and psychological factors in schizophrenia has been combination of drug treatment and psychological therapies
combining treatments enhances their effectiveness
tarrier- randomly allocated 315 pps to medication and cbt, medication and counselling, control group (medication only), pps in two combination groups showed lower symtpoms following trial than medication only group though no difference in hospital readmission
clear practical advantage to adoptiong interactionist approach in terms of superior treatment outcomes

jarvis and okami- saying that a successful treatment for mental disorder justifies particular explanation is logical equivilent of saying alcohol reduces shyness and shyness is caused by lack of alcohol
logical error called treatment causation fallacy
cant automatically assume success of combined therapies means interactionist explanations are correct