L12: Interactionist Approach in Explaining And Treating Schiz

Question 1

Define the interactionist approach

Answer 1

A broad approach to explain schizophrenia, it looks at both bio and psych factors that cause schiz and for treatment of schiz

Question 2

What is the diasthesis stress model?

Answer 2

Schiz is caused by both bio and psych factor. Neither alone causes it.

Question 3

What can you write for AO1 of the interactionist approach for causing schiz?

Answer 3

L4 - Ripke and his genes

AO3: discuss the evakuation of that lesson

Question 4

What was research for the diathesis stress model? (Explaining schiz from env)

Answer 4

Murray:

• Investigated children born after a flu epidemic
• Bio moms had flu when they were 4-6 months preggo
• 88% increased chance of having schiz
• It caused defects in neural development, leading to brain damage and problems with dopamine functioning

Question 5

What was research for the diathesis stress model? (Explaining schiz from bio)

Answer 5

Durand:

• Studied patients who had a family history of schiz
• Genetic link is a important factor but a stressor was needed

Question 6

Evaluation (explaining schiz)

Answer 6

(+) Stress causes schiz. Cortisol levels were very high before onset of schiz, so stress might cause schiz
(+) Genes cannot alone cause schiz as concordance rates are not 100%. They increase the vulnerability risk but env is needed for gene expression
(+) Patients w/ Schiz had childhood sexual trauma - seemed to effect brain development. Patients were stressed and took cannabis, increasing chances of getting schiz
(-) Individual differences. A range of stressors cause schiz and patients have different tolerations of stress + coping
(-) Diathesis Stress doesnt have one source e,g multiple genes can cause schiz, but stress can mean a lot of things and encompasses many factors like poor parenting.

Question 7

How does the interactionist approach treat schiz?

Answer 7

• Combine bio + psych treatments
• See which combos are suitable for individuals
• Drugs given first, then treatment

Question 8

Research on treatment

Answer 8

• 103 schiz patients with high EE families were studied
• Treat,ents offered and relapse was measured
• 19% relaspe for family therapy + drugs
• 20% relapse for social support + drugs
• 41% relapse for drugs
• 0% relapse for family therapy, social support + drugs

Question 9

AO3 of treating schiz with interactionist app

Answer 9

(+) Combining behavioural and cofnitive therapies. Cog aims to change disordered thinking, allowing behavioural therpaies to beh effective
(+) As schiz has bio and psych causes, it makes sense to treat them biologically and psychologically e.g dopamine = drugs & bad families = family therapy
(-) Expensive and costly, not everybidy will have access to it, even if more effective.
(-) 1+ treatment can cause more side effects and can interfere in therapies. They might stop taking drugs and attending therapies, making their symptoms worse