Psychological explanations - family dysfunction

Question 1

What is the main idea of family dysfunction?

Answer 1

The main idea is that a person develops schizophrenia because they have been raised in dysfunctional family environment

Question 2

What is double-bind theory?

Answer 2

Batesn (1956) suggested that children who receive contradictory message from their parents are more likely to develop schizophrenia. This is done by parents saying one thing and then psychically gestures the opposite

Question 3

Explain how double bind theory cause schizophrenia?

Answer 3

The longer tis goes on the more a child will misinterpret the parents contradictory messages and become increasingly confused. The child will assume they can do nothing but displease the parent and this will affect their ability to respond to the parent. Eventually this confusion will distort the childs sense of reality and could lead to schizophrenic symptoms such as avolition, effective flattening, paranoia, disorganised thinking and hallucinations

Question 4

What is expressed emotion?

Answer 4

A high level of expressed emotion is associated with relapse of schizophrenia

Question 5

What are the examples of expressed emotion?

Answer 5

Verbal criticism - frequent critical comments made by the family to the patient
Hostility - statements of dislike, anger, resentment and rejection made towards the patient
Emotional over-involvement - over-protectiveness of the patent to the point of needless self-sacrifice

Question 6

Why does expressed emotion cause relapse of schizophrenia?

Answer 6

It appears that negative emotional climate arouses the patient and leads to stress beyond their coping mechanisms and therefore triggering schizophrenia
(it may also be the stress that causes schizophrenia)
A patient returning to a family with high EE is 4 times more likely to relapse than a patient whose family is low in EE