Psychological explanations; Stressful life events Flashcards

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1
Q

History

A
  • Until the 1960s the main theories of schizophrenia were psychological/ environmental
  • Including behavioural and psychodynamic theories
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2
Q

The ‘Biological turn’

A
  • These theories were rejected for two reasons:
  • The growing evidence for the biological basis for schizophrenia
  • The limitations of the evidence for the environmental theories (correlations, lack of control etc.)
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3
Q

Correlational evidence

A
  • Critics argued that at best the evidence showed a correlation between family factors and schizophrenia
  • It was possible that problems within families were a result of the difficulties in dealing with schizophrenia, rather than the illness
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4
Q

However evidence from the twin studies showed that…

A

Genetics was not the sole factor!

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5
Q

Models of interaction

A
  • Diathesis stress model

- The ‘final common pathway’ dopamine hypothesis

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6
Q

Diathesis stress model

A
  • Genes are the diathesis, and some genes have more ‘penetrance’ than others (higher risk), but genes are not the only factor
  • Environmental factors are the stressors
  • The environmental factors are the stressors which determine who, out of those at risk, will develop the illness
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7
Q

Final common pathway

A
  • Howes & Kapur’s version of the dopamine hypothesis says that a range of biological and environmental factors can cause schizophrenia
  • All affect the pre-synaptic functioning of the dopamine system
  • Can be developed without genetics; so inducing a lot of drugs can be enough to damage to the pathway.
  • Something that influences the pre-synaptic dopamine dysfunction
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8
Q

Models in stressful life events

A
  • Stressful life events can be seen as a stressor in a diathesis stress model, those at (genetic) risk will be affected by stressful life events.
  • Stressful life events can be seen as a contributor to dopamine dysfunction within the ‘final common pathway’.
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9
Q

Examples of stressors:

A
  • Losing your job or home
  • Divorce
  • physical, emotional, sexual or racial abuse
  • College/ university
  • Large amount of responsibilities (child carer)
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10
Q

Holmes & Rahe’s social readjustment rating scale (SRRS)

A
  • Measures life change units- Measure of change or adjustment (stressful)
  • Those who are more prone to getting schizophrenia are more likely to find all change stressful.
  • Marriage was rated at 50
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11
Q

Evaluation: Norman & Malla

A
  • Norman & Malla’s Review:
  • Found that the severity of symptoms over time was correlated with life events, suggesting that such events act as stressors for those who are already predisposed to schizophrenia.
  • This doesn’t mean that they have more stressful life events than others, but when they do experience them they lose the ability to cope
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12
Q

Evaluation: Horan et al. & Day

A
  • Horan et al.
  • 12 Month longitudinal study compared; frequencies, qualitative characteristics, and life events in S and Non-S patients.
  • Found that S patient samples have lower levels of such events then the general population.
  • Also suggested that its not the number of life events that matter, but the ability to cope.
  • Schizophrenic patients had lower rates of life events, but a lower ability to cope.
  • Day’s cross national study
  • 386 schizophrenic patients from USA, EUROPE, AFRICA AND ASIA.
  • Found that higher rates for stressful life events in the 2-3 weeks preceding the onset of schizophrenia.
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13
Q

Methodological evaluation

A
  • Relationship between life events and schizophrenia; but is it a causal one?
  • Retrospective report more stressful life events in the weeks preceding the onset of full symptoms- order of events issue
  • Norman & Malla’s review had too many retro and not enough prospective
  • Issue with memory is that it is hard to identify the order of events, and also some patients may block out certain memories due to emotionally stressful.
  • Wide range of evidence; cross-culture, but issue with retrospective study (order of events)
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