Schizophrenia: Family Dysfunction 2024 - 2025 Flashcards
AO1 Focus
In what way is the family dysfunctional?
The way in which they communicate
AO1 Focus
Explain what is meant by a schizophrenogenic mother?
A cold, controlling, rejecting, and emotionally unresponsive mother
AO1 Focus
What feelings are created by having a schizophrenogenic mother?
Feelings of distrust
AO1 Focus
What symptoms of schizophrenia does a schizophrenogenic mother lead to?
Paranoid delusions
AO1 Focus
Explain what is meant by double bind communication
Where a verbal message from a parent is not matched with their non-verbal message
AO1 Focus
What feelings are created by double bind communication?
That they cannot do the right thing - so withdraw from social contact
AO1 Focus
What symptoms of schizophrenia does double bind communication cause?
Avolition and paranoid delusions
AO1 Focus
Explain what is meant by high expressed emotion
- Verbal criticism
- Hostility
- Emotional over-involvement
Are directed towards a patient by the family
AO1 Focus
What feelings are caused by high expressed emotion?
Stress
AO1 Focus
What can occur as a result of high expressed emotion in patients with schizophrenia?
Relapse
AO1 Focus
Which forms of family dysfuntion can cause schizophrenia?
- Schizophrenogenic mother
- Double bind communication
It’s important to remember that expressed emotion only causes relapse in patients with schizophrenia - it is not the cause
AO3 Focus
What did Mednick do?
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Researched 207 children who were raised in dysfunctional families with a schizophrenogenic mother
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AO3 Focus
What did Mednick find?
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After 10 years, 17 children were diagnosed with schizophrenia
(8% compared to 1% in general population)
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AO3 Focus
Why does Mednick support family dysfunction?
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Shows that having a schizophrenogenic mother increase likelihood of a person developing schizophrenia
AO3 Focus
What type of family dysfunction does Mednick support?
Schizophrenogenic mother
AO3 Focus
What did Berger find?
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When asking schizophrenics about their childhood, they could remember more instances of double bind communication than non-schizophrenics
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DISCUSSION Focus
Why can we criticise Berger’s research into **double bind communication **in schizophrenics?
As it uses retrospective data - the patients are asked to look back on their childhood
AO3 Focus
Why does Berger’s research support family dysfunction?
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Mixed communication in childhood leads to higher chance of developing schizophrenia
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AO3 Focus
What practical applications have been developed from theories of family dysfunction?
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Family therapy
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AO3 Focus
How does family therapy work to treat family dysfunction?
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A therapist will meet with the patient and their family in order to try and alter relationship and communication patterns to reduces stress levels
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AO2 Focus
Jodie has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. When meeting with her doctor, Jodie says;
“I found my father really confusing growing up - he would say he was proud of me, but never hugged me…I was so confused by why he did that”
What type of family dysfunction has Jodie experienced, and why?
- Double bind communication
- Her father’s verbal message “I’m proud of you” don’t match up with his non-verbal messages “didn’t hug me”
AO2 Focus
Stephen has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. When meeting with his doctor, Stephen says;
“My dad wasn’t really present when he was at home - he just kind of switched off, and let my mum run everything. She became really quite controlling, and never really showed me or my brother much affection”
What type of family dysfunction has Stephen experienced, and why?
- Schizophrenogenic mother
- His father was passive - “wasn’t really present at home”
- His mother was quite controlling and cold “never really showed me or my brother much affection”
AO2 Focus
Oscar has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. When meeting with his doctor, Oscar says;
“My family are incredibly supportive, and have done everything they can to make sure homelife is as normal as possible - I feel really relaxed being at home, knowing that they’re all there for me”
Is Oscar likely to relapse into schizophrenia, or not? Explain why
- No - Oscar is not likely
- His family are supportive - so low expressed emotion
- and therefore removing stress
- So he is unlikely to relapse
