L6: Psychological Explanations - Family Dysfunction

Question 1

What did Bateson propose?

Answer 1

Disturbed patterns of communication and family dysfunction might be a risk factor causing schiz

Question 2

What is the Double Bind Theory?

Answer 2

• Children are given conflicting messages from parents, creating confusion, withdrawal and self doubt.
• They cannot construct an internal coherent sense of relationships
  e. g being very caring and then very critical or saying positive things in a cruel way
• When trapped in a situation, they fear doing the wrong thing. Parents may punish them by withdrawing love.
• Children see the world as confusing and dangerous
• They might develop delusions, disorganised thinking etc. - symptoms of Schiz

Question 3

Double Bind Theory: What is a marital schism?

Answer 3

• Parents argue in front of child and involve child into argument
• Causes distress and confusion for child

Question 4

Double Bind Theory: Evaluation

Answer 4

(-) Criticised as Bateson investigated retrospectively - families thought back over a long period of time and identify traits. Memory can be flawed and inaccurate
(-) Research can be unethical. Can cause harm if family is told they have helped cause Schiz. Psychologists must be aware of invading privacy and keeping things confidential
(+) Research supporting this theory states that Schiz patients reported higher recall of double bind statements by mothers than non-Schiz
(+) Reserach shows that people who had difficult families had an increased risk of developing Schiz in adulthood. 69% females and 59% males Schiz patients had a history of physical/sexual abuse

Question 5

EE: What is Expressed emotion?

Answer 5

• Negative emotional interactions might cause and maintain symptoms of Schiz
• EE is a set of traits where family members talk to the patient in a critical and hostile manner e.g criticism, hostility & emotional over involvement
• Could aid a relapse

Question 6

What are some behaviours of EE?

Answer 6

• Talk more than they listened = low tolerance for emotional stimuli = stress
• Schiz patients living with high EE families are 4x more likely to relapse
• High EE families can help predict the relapse of multiple mental disorders
• EE is more typical in developed countries rather than in developing ones

Question 7

EE: Evaluation

Answer 7

(+) Lots of evidence to suggest EE causes relapse in many cultures. Families who show EE undergo education and training to reduce EE in the family
(-) Patients may have reduced contact as they are institutionalised, either withdrawn or controlled time. Minimal chance of EE because there is no exposure
(-) Criticised as it ignored biological factors. Main causes tend to be biological