S3. Psychological Explanations For Schizophrenia

Question 1

Psychological Cause of Schizophrenia

Answer 1

• ‘abnormal family communication styles’
• schizophrenogenic mother, mixed messages, high levels of expressed emotion
• contributory to development and maintenance of SZ

Question 2

Schizophrenogenic Mother

Answer 2

• cold and rejecting = tense family climate, lacking honesty = development of paranoia and anxiety
• manifested in positive symptoms (paranoid delusions)

Question 3

Double-blind Theory

Answer 3

• child receives mixed messages from both parents about what is right and wrong
• tense atmosphere or controlling parenting style means child is unable to clarify messages, or voice opinions about unfairness of conflicting messages
• child is punished through withdrawal of love
• child therefore sees world as unfair and confusing
• reflected in symptoms of disorganised thinking and paranoid delusions

Question 4

Expressed Emotion

Answer 4

• level/type of emotion shown toward patient by their carer, often a significant stress source of patient
• this means they’re less likely to take medication, or comply with cognitive therapies
• high levels of expressed emotions are: verbal criticism of patient, and violence with hostility

Question 5

Dysfunctional Though Processes

Answer 5

• abnormally functioning thought processes that lead to undesirable outcomes
• e.g. meta-representation and central control
• contribute to schizophrenia

Question 6

Meta-representation

Answer 6

• cognitive ability to differentiate between own actions, and actions of others
• allow insight into intentions/emotions of others, yet maintain realistic view of personal goals/intentions
• dysfunctions in meta-representation associated with auditory hallucinations (and thought insertion) due to inability to differentiate between personal thoughts, and thoughts of others
• may lead to paranoid delusions

Question 7

Central Control

Answer 7

• cognitive ability to carry out a deliberate action whilst suppressing an automatic response
• measures using Stroop Test (identify font colour of word, ‘yellow’ written in brown colour; must stop to register font colour)
• SZ’s cannot suppress auto-response

Question 8

+ Eval: Evidence Supporting Dysfunctional Though Processes and SZ

Answer 8

• fault central control responsible for SZ
• SZ sufferers tool twice as long to complete the task, compared to a healthy neurotypical control group

Question 9

• Eval: ONLY explains proximal causes

Answer 9

• biological factors (which explain distal causes) NOT considered in psychological explanations
• limits utility of psychological explanations for SZ.