Schizophrenia: Family Dysfunction 2024 - 2025

Question 1

AO1 Focus

In what way is the family dysfunctional?

Answer 1

The way in which they communicate

Question 2

AO1 Focus

Explain what is meant by a schizophrenogenic mother?

Answer 2

A cold, controlling, rejecting, and emotionally unresponsive mother

Question 3

AO1 Focus

What feelings are created by having a schizophrenogenic mother?

Answer 3

Feelings of distrust

Question 4

AO1 Focus

What symptoms of schizophrenia does a schizophrenogenic mother lead to?

Answer 4

Paranoid delusions

Question 5

AO1 Focus

Explain what is meant by double bind communication

Answer 5

Where a verbal message from a parent is not matched with their non-verbal message

Question 6

AO1 Focus

What feelings are created by double bind communication?

Answer 6

That they cannot do the right thing - so withdraw from social contact

Question 7

AO1 Focus

What symptoms of schizophrenia does double bind communication cause?

Answer 7

Avolition and paranoid delusions

Question 8

AO1 Focus

Explain what is meant by high expressed emotion

Answer 8

• Verbal criticism
• Hostility
• Emotional over-involvement

Are directed towards a patient by the family

Question 9

AO1 Focus

What feelings are caused by high expressed emotion?

Answer 9

Stress

Question 10

AO1 Focus

What can occur as a result of high expressed emotion in patients with schizophrenia?

Answer 10

Relapse

Question 11

AO1 Focus

Which forms of family dysfuntion can cause schizophrenia?

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

AO3 Focus

What did Mednick do?

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Answer 12

Researched 207 children who were raised in dysfunctional families with a schizophrenogenic mother

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Question 13

AO3 Focus

What did Mednick find?

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Answer 13

After 10 years, 17 children were diagnosed with schizophrenia
(8% compared to 1% in general population)

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Question 14

AO3 Focus

Why does Mednick support family dysfunction?

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Answer 14

Shows that having a schizophrenogenic mother increase likelihood of a person developing schizophrenia

Question 15

AO3 Focus

What type of family dysfunction does Mednick support?

Answer 15

Schizophrenogenic mother

Question 16

AO3 Focus

What did Berger find?

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Answer 16

When asking schizophrenics about their childhood, they could remember more instances of double bind communication than non-schizophrenics

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Question 17

DISCUSSION Focus

Why can we criticise Berger’s research into **double bind communication **in schizophrenics?

Answer 17

As it uses retrospective data - the patients are asked to look back on their childhood

Question 18

AO3 Focus

Why does Berger’s research support family dysfunction?

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Answer 18

Mixed communication in childhood leads to higher chance of developing schizophrenia

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Question 19

AO3 Focus

What practical applications have been developed from theories of family dysfunction?

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Answer 19

Family therapy

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Question 20

AO3 Focus

How does family therapy work to treat family dysfunction?

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Answer 20

A therapist will meet with the patient and their family in order to try and alter relationship and communication patterns to reduces stress levels

This will form the second E of your PEEL

Question 21

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?

Answer 21

• 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”

Question 22

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?

Answer 22

• 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”

Question 23

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

Answer 23

• No - Oscar is not likely
• His family are supportive - so low expressed emotion
• and therefore removing stress
• So he is unlikely to relapse