Interactionist Approach to Schzophrenia Flashcards
What is the interactionist approach?
-an eclectic approach that suggests schizophrenia can be explained and treated by referring to a combination of biological, psychological and social factors
-due to this we must look at schizophrenia through the diathesis stress model
What does the diathesis stress model?
-explains that schizophrenia reality’s from an interaction between a vulnerability (diathesis) and an external trigger (stress) (OG DSM)
What is the framework for the diathesis stress model?
Diathesis + stress —> disorder
What is the diathesis?
A vulnerability predisposes schizophrenia- e.g. Inherited genetics, Structural abnormalities, Biochemistry.
What is stress?
An external stressor acts as a trigger for schizophrenia. e.g. Childhood abuse, Family conflict, Significant life changes.
What is the disorder?
-An interaction of diathesis and stress factors causes schizophrenia.
-Once a threshold is passed the individual is likely to display symptoms of the schizophrenia.
What is the diathesis (2)?
-A VULNERABILTY can predispose the development of schizophrenia.
-Genetics: The polygenetic explanation suggests a combination of candidate genes (e.g. COMT gene) can leave individuals vulnerable to developing schizophrenia.
What is research for the diathesis is schizophrenia?
-Joseph (2004) conducted a meta-analysis of all twin study data prior to 2001.
-reported a concordance rate of 40% for MZ twins compared to 7% for DZ twins.
-Since MZ twins are genetically identical (same DNA), the concordance rate is significantly higher than DZ twins and the results from the wide-scale study are likely to have high reliability, this strongly supports the role of genes.
What would happen is schizophrenia was purely genetic?
-concordance rate of 100% would have been expected for MZ twins.
-The 60% discordance for MZ twins indicates that stress factors must interact with the biological vulnerability (diathesis) for schizophrenia to develop
What is the stress (2)?
-Negative experiences can TRIGGER the development of schizophrenia.
-Living in a highly urbanised environment: The more adverse living conditions of a densely populated urban environment may act a contributory trigger.
What is the research support the stress?
-meta-analysis by Vassos et al. (2012) found that the risk for schizophrenia in the most urban environments was estimated to be over twice as likely than in the most rural environments.
-However, despite many people living in such areas, only a tiny minority develop schizophrenia.
-Therefore, the development of schizophrenia may be conditional on this stress factor interacting with a pre-existing diathesis factor.
