PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Question 1

Summarise the psychological explanation of schizophrenia?

Answer 1

• The psychological explanations suggests that dysfunctional family dynamics play a role in the development of schizophrenia in genetically vulnerable individuals or a **relapse of symptoms **in those already diagnosed.
  There are 3 key types of dysfunctional family dynmaics associated with this explanation.
  1. Double-bind theory (bateson et al, 1956)
  2. Schizophrenogenic mother (fromm-riechmann)
  3. Expressed emotions

Question 2

Who proposed the Double Blind Theory of schizophrenia?

Answer 2

• Bateson et al (1956)

Question 3

What is the Double Blind Theory of schizophrenia?

Answer 3

• Proposes that schizophrenia may develop when a child is frequently exposed to contradictory messages (a parent saying i love you whilst acting coldly).
• If a child cannot resolve these contradictions in messaging (especially if they’re punished for reacting ‘incorrectly’) they may develop disorganised thinking/ delusional beliefs as a coping mechanism.

Question 4

If a child is frequently exposed to contradictory messages/ unable to resolve contradictions, what might they develop?

Answer 4

disorganized thinking or delusional beliefs as a coping mechanism.

Question 5

Who proposed the schizophregenic mother theory?

Answer 5

Fromm-Reichmann (psychoanalytical concept)

Question 6

What is the schizophrengenic mother concept?

Answer 6

• Describes a cold, domineering, emotionally manipulative mother who creates an emotional climate of confusion, guilt, stress emotional conflict.
• This is theorised to contribute to the development of schizophrenia (paticularly paranoid delusions in the child)

Question 7

The schizophrenogenic mother is theorises to contribute to the development of schizophrenia, paticularly….

Answer 7

Paranoid delusions

Question 8

Strengths/ weaknesses of the schizophregenic mother theory?

Answer 8

• strengths- theoretically holistic- part of a broader psychoanalyitic approach which consideres childhood, unconcious conflicts, emotional development.
• weaknesses- highly reductionist- blames schizophrenia solely on parenting syles, blame based, stigmatising, ignores other explantions

Question 9

Strengths/ weakness of the double-blind theory?

Answer 9

Strengths- offers a plausible explanation for the cognitive disorganisation seen in schizophrenic (delusions)
Weakness- unfalsfiable/lacks validity- as it is impossible to measure double bind situations objectively, not all individuals exposed to this dynamic develops schizophrenia.

Question 10

What is the ‘expressed emotion’ theory?

Answer 10

• Refers to a negative family communication style characterized by hostility, emotional over-involvement, and critical comments.
• High levels of EE don’t cause schizophrenia outright, but they are strongly linked to relapse in recovering patients and may contribute to the onset in genetically vulnerable individuals.

Question 11

Key aspects of expressed emotion communication style?

Answer 11

• Hostility
• Emotional over-involvement
• Critical comments

Question 12

What is expressed emotion strongly linked to..?

Answer 12

relapse in recovering patients and may contribute to the onset in vulnerable individuals.

Question 13

Strengths/weaknesses of expressed emotion

Answer 13

Strengths- Practical applications: Has led to useful family-based therapy interventions that reduce EE and improve outcomes.
Weakness- Deterministic: Suggests people are shaped by their environments, with little room for personal agency or resilience.