Outline and evaluate family dysfunction explanations of schizophrenia. 16 Marks

Question 1

Overview of Family dysfunction. ie. defining what it is

Answer 1

• Claim that SZ is caused by abnormal patterns of communication within the family.
• Can be pointed out and changed wiith family therapy
• Family functions falls under psychological explanation of sc
• There are 3 types of Family dysfunction:
  1. Schizophrenogenic Mother
  2. Double blind theory
  3. Expressed emotion

Can be pointed out and changed wiith family therapy

Question 2

Double blind Theory AO1

Gregory Bateson et al (1956)

Answer 2

Suggested children who frequently receive contradictory messages from parents are more likely to develop SZ.
- e.g Mother tells son she loves him, whilst turning head away in disgust

• Child is therefore unable to respond appropriately and these interactions prevent the development of an internally coherent construction of reality which in the long run manifests itself as schizophrenic symptoms
• Agree that family climate is important in the development of schizophrenia but emphasised the role of communication style within a family.

Question 3

AO3
Importance of family relationships in SZ
Tienari et al. (1994)

Answer 3

P - Research has demostarted the importance of family relationships in schiz

E- study carried out by Tienari et al. (1994) showed that adopted children who had biological schizophrenic parents were more likely to become ill themselves than children with non - schizophrenic biological parents, in the case where the adopted family itself was considered abnormal.

E - This implies that the causes of schizophrenia can be located within the family surroundings.

L- suggesting that the illness has a greater chance of manifesting itself under appropriate environmental conditions, which means that genetic vulnerability alone is not sufficient.

Question 4

AO3 Evidence supporting Double blind Berger (1965)
Leim (1974)
Gibney (2006)

Answer 4

P- There is some evidence that supports the Double bind theory.

E - Berger (1965) found that schiz reported a higher recall of double bind statements by their mothers than non shcizoprenics.

E- This is a strength because it shows how family relationships play a role in the deveoplmet of shciz
Counter argument- However research conducted by Leim (1974) that measured patterns of paterna communication in family with schiz child found no diff compared to normal families.

But despite these inconsiencies in research support, Gibney (2006) claims that double bind theory has rela value since it led to development of family therapy, which means that eventhough interactiosn can be problematic and pathology producing, they can also be otgniased nf so become healthy producing.

Question 5

Expressed emotion (EE) 
AO1

Answer 5

• Family members talk to the patient in a critical manner in a way that indicates emotional over involement or over concern with patient or their behaviour.
• Kuipers et al (1983) found that high EE relatives talk more + listen less. - more likely to influence relapse rates/ increased symtoms of schiz.
• Negative emotional climate in these families arouses patient + leads to stress beyond already impaired coping mechanisms, thus triggering shiz episode

Question 6

Expressed emotion (EE)
Indivdual differencwa in vulnerability
AO3

Answer 6

P - Research behind the family variable of EE In shciz is not certain because there are individual differences.

E- Altorfer et al (1998) found that one quater of the paitents they studied showed no psychological responses to stressful comments from relatives.

E - this shows that not all patients who live in high EE families suffer from sz.

L- this shows that not all patients are equally vulnerable to high levels of expressed emotion within the family enviroment.

Question 7

What AO3 are you using?

Answer 7

Support double blind
- Berger (1965) found Schiz reported
Limitation
- Leim (1974) measured patterns of parental communication

Support family dysfunction overall
- Tiernari et al (1994) - importance of family relationships in schiz
Gibney (2006)`

Lebell et all (1993) - individual differences in vulnerability to EE

Question 8

Lebell et all (1993) - indivdual differences in vulnerability.

Answer 8

P; Not all paitents who live in high EE families relapse, and not all those who live in lower EE homes avoid relapse.

E; Claims that it is how paitent appraise the behaviour of their relatives that is importanct. in cases where high EE behaviours are not precieved as being less negative or stressful, paitents are less affected by them.

Question 9

Lebell et all (1993) - LINK

Answer 9

This shows that not al paitents are equally vulnerable to high levels of EE with the family enviroment