Schizo - Social - Dysfunctional families Flashcards
What is unique about DF theory and what are the two aspects
While other explanations of schizophrenia ignore culture and society it is the main aspect of dysfunctional family’s explanation.
There are two key theories surrounding the role of the family in schizophrenia, these are Double bind theory and expressed emotion.
Describe Double bind Theory
Bateson (1956) suggested that families of schizophrenics communicate in a destructively ambiguous fashion.
A double bind is when someone’s paralanguage (voice, body language and facial expressions) and verbal ques contradict each other, for instance saying ‘I love you’ in a monotone, uninterested voice
Double bind theory explains schizophrenia as being a consequence of abnormal and inadequate patterns of communication within the families of schizophrenics such as double binds, as they are emotionally ambiguous.
Double binds will cause a conflict for the child as the child gets two different messages conflicting each other, if this happens consistently in a household, the child learns that they don’t know how to respond in a reasonable way in conversations, leading to them to grow up believing that this is how relationships work meaning in the future they will struggle to establish normal relationships.
Bateson argued that these double binds could eventually lead symptoms of schizophrenia, as individuals will try to escape these internal conflicts with symptoms such as the hallucinations and delusions.
Double bind communication can also cause the child to develop maladaptive thinking patterns during social situations such as thinking everything said to them contains hidden meanings that are harmful and thinking everything said should be taken litterally.
Describe expressed Emotion
Expressed Emotion
Expressed emotion is a term used to represent the quality and intensity of expression of a range of emotions within a family context. For example, families who engage in high expressed emotion show high levels of criticism, hostility and emotional over-involvement.
It is thought that someone experiencing high expressed emotion cause a relapse in schizophrenic symptoms.
Describe the key study supporting the idea of high expressed emotion causing schizophrenia
Key Study: Brown – study looked at relapse rates of 156 men with schizophrenia who were discharged from hospital.
Found 58% of schizophrenics relapsed if they went into homes with high expressed emotion while only 10% of schizophrenics relapsed if they won’t into low expressed emotion homes.
Additionally, interviews conducted with the families of these individuals also suggested a link between the amount of expressed emotion and likelihood of relapse.
According to Brown, there are five different elements of high expressed emotion which may be linked to the relapse of schizophrenia these are:
Critical comments: Negative remarks or judgments directed towards someone, often highlighting their perceived faults or shortcomings.
Hostility: A strong negative attitude or feeling of animosity, often expressed through aggressive or confrontational behaviour.
Emotional over-involvement: Excessive emotional investment or attachment in the life of another person, often resulting in intrusive or controlling behaviour.
Warmth: A positive emotional state characterized by kindness, affection, and friendliness towards others.
Positive regard: Showing acceptance, respect, and appreciation towards someone, acknowledging their worth and value as an individual.
Name one strength of DF theory
Strength: Supporting Evidence – Brown conducted interviews with the families of schizophrenics and found a correlation between high EE families and the relapse of schizophrenia.
One weakness of DF theory
Weakness: Lack of cause and effect – Liem conducted a study that found that the communication between parent and a child with schizophrenia was not more disorganised than the parents and child without schizophrenia when doing a task. (11 participants in both groups) Liem claims that the difference found in parental communications in studies was because of the parent adapting to a child with schizophrenia, and not the cause of the child’s schizophrenia.
Aka – Does the family EE cause schizophrenia or does schizophrenia cause family EE?
Name another weakness of DF theory
Weakness: Opposing Evidence – Mcreadie and Phillips failed to find subsequent 6 and 12-month relapse in schizophrenics living in high EE homes than those who didn’t. Showing that while EE may play a factor in causing the relapse of schizophrenic symptoms, it is not the only factor that determines relapse.
