Schizophrenia - Interactionist approach

Question 1

Diathesis stress model: original model

Answer 1

Meehl - Biologically based (schizogene) with a sensitivity to stress -> no gene, no amount of stress will cause

Question 2

Support original model: Tienari et al

Answer 2

145 adopted offspring w/schizophrenic mothers matched to 158 without genetic risk (assessed at 12 & 21)

Findings: 14 developed schizophrenia w/11 from high risk group / being reared in ‘healthy’ family had protective effect for even those with high risk

Question 3

Modern diathesis stress understanding

Answer 3

Diathesis: No Schizogene, birth complications/flu in late pregnancy, psychological trauma creating overactive HPA

Stress: anything that can act as a trigger (i.e. THC 7x increases) -> psychological, social or biological

Question 4

Strengths of interactionist approach

Answer 4

+ Became more holistic model (evolution of the model)
+ Practical applications (effective combined treatment models)
+ Supporting research (Gottesman, Tarrier & Houston et al -> childhood sexual abuse & cannabis use)

Question 5

Limitations of interactionist approach

Answer 5

• Complex (how stress is triggered is unclear & hard to gauge empirically)
• Correlational (not causation - successful treatments don’t identify the cause)

Question 6

Treatments: Combination drug & therapy

Answer 6

• Must include both approaches
• It is still possible to believe in biological causes & engage in CBT (Turkington)
• Severe cases of Schz struggle with talking therapies -> drug treatments reduce their symptoms so enhances ability to engage w/psychological therapies)