Psychological explanations - AO3

Question 1

What is a strength of family dysfunction for psychological explanations for sz?

Answer 1

• P: Strength = research support
• E: Read et al. (2005): adults w SZ disproportionatelly more likely to have insecure attachment (type D or C)
• E: Also found 69% of women and 59% of men w SZ recalled history of childhood abuse
• L: Strongly suggests that FD (disrupted attachment) makes people more vulnerable to SZ

Question 2

What is a limitation of family dysfunction for psychological explanations for sz?

Answer 2

• P: Limitation = poor evidence base
• E: Evidence for childhood family based (EE), but very little to support traditional theories like schizophrenogenic mother and double bind
• E: Both theories based on clinical observation and informal assessment = no systematic experimental evidence
• L: Family explanations may not account for link between childhood trauma and SZ

Question 3

What is a strength of dysfunctional thinking for psychological explanations of SZ?

Answer 3

• P: Strength = research support
• E: Stirling et al. (2006): 30 patients w SZ vs 18 controls; people with SZ take twice as long to complete the Stroop task
• E: Supports Frith’s idea of central control dysfunction
• L: Cognitive abilities of people with SZ are impaired

Question 4

What is a limitation of dysfunctional thinking for psychological explanations of SZ?

Answer 4

• P: Limitation = proximal explanation
• E: Explains symptoms now rather than initial cause
• E: Causes (distal explanations) may be better explained by genetics or FD
• L: Dysfunctional thinking may only provide partial explanation