Psychological Explanation AO1

Question 1

What does psychological think is the reason for Schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Family Dysfunction

Question 2

What are the key features of Family Dysfunction?

Answer 2

• Schizophrenic Mother
• Double Blind Theory
• Expressed Emotion

Question 3

Describe the effect of a Schizophrenic Mother.

Answer 3

• Schizophrenic mothers are cold, unstable and create conflict
• they oftern display disgist which create a climate of tension and secrecy and paranoid delusions to emerge in the child
• this causes schizophrenia

Question 4

Who suggested that a Schizophrenic Mother may cause Schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Fromm-Reichmann

Question 5

Who suggested that a the Double Blind Theory may explain Schizophrenia?

Answer 5

Bateson et al

Question 6

Explain the Double Blind Theory.

Answer 6

• it suggests that muddled communication causes Schizophrenia

There are two ways
1. if child is given mixed messages and can’t seek clarification
2. if they are punished by parents for doing wrong by withdrawing love
* This prevents child from foming coherent expectations of reality and cause them to view the world as dangerous and confusing.
* This leads to disorganised thoughts and delusions

Question 7

Explain Expressed Emotion’s as a cause of Schizophrenia.

Answer 7

• expressed emotion are negative emotions expressed by a patient’s caregiver

There are three key features:
1. hostility
2. emotional over involvement like needless self sacrifice
3. critism
This can result in creating the right environment for genes associated with vulnerability to Schizophrenia to be expressed (according to the diathesis stress model)