Schizophrenia: Interactionist Approach 2024 - 2025

Question 1

AO1 Focus

The interactionist approach suggests schizophrenia is caused by a combination of what three factors?

Answer 1

• Biological
• Psychologyical
• Social

Question 2

AO1 Focus

The combination of biological, psychological, and social factors is also known as, what?

Answer 2

Diathesis-stress model

Question 3

AO1 Focus

In the original diathesis stress model, what was the diathesis

Answer 3

A single schizo-gene

Question 4

Key Term Focus

What is meant by a ‘diathesis’?

Answer 4

A vulnerability (risk factor)

Question 5

Key Term Focus

What is meant by ‘stress’ in terms of the diathesis stress model?

Answer 5

A negative psychological experience

Question 6

AO1 Focus

According to the original diathesis stress model, what is an example of a stressor?

Answer 6

Schizophrenogenic mother

Question 7

AO1 Focus

According to the current diathesis-stress model, what are examples of a diathesis?

Answer 7

• Multiple genes increasing risk
• Psychological trauma
• Stress

Question 8

AO1 Focus

According to the current diathesis-stress model, what can be classed as a stressor?

Answer 8

Anything that risks triggering

Question 9

AO2 Focus

Fred is 23 and has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His doctor is reviewing his patient history, and notices the following:

• Fred has worked at the same job for the past few years
• Fred is a frequent user of cannabis
• Fred’s father was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 7 years old
• His family attended family therapy during his adolescence as his father believed his mother was “controlling”*

Which of these could be classed as a diathesis according to the current diathesis stress model?

Answer 9

His father was diagnosed with schizophrenia - genetic diathesis

Question 10

AO2 Focus

Fred is 23 and has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His doctor is reviewing his patient history, and notices the following:

• Fred has worked at the same job for the past few years
• Fred is a frequent user of cannabis
• Fred’s father was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 7 years old
• His family attended family therapy during his adolescence as his father believed his mother was “controlling”

Which of these could be classed as a stressor according to the current diathesis stress model?

Answer 10

• Cannabis use
• Schizophrenogenic mother - “attended family therapy due to mother being controlling”

Question 11

AO1 Focus

According to the interactionist approach, which 3 therapies are combined to target diatheses and stress?

Answer 11

• CBT
• Family therapy
• Drug therapy

Question 12

AO2 Focus

Anthony is 24, and has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Two of his Aunts have been treated for schizophrenia previously. When asked about his parents, he says they did not get on well. His mother was harsh, demanding and difficult to talk to. His father was hardly ever at home.

According to the interactionist approach, what treatments would be best for Anthony?

Answer 12

• CBT - challenge irrational / delusional thoughts
• Family therapy - fix faulty communication; schizophrenogenic mother
• Drug therapy - fix neurochemical imbalance inherited through genes

Question 13

AO3 Focus

What did Tienari do?

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Answer 13

• Compared 19,000 adopted children with schizophrenic mothers to a control group of adopted children with no genetic risk
• Observed child rearing styles of adopted parents

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Question 14

AO3 Focus

What did Tiernari find?

This would be the second E of your PEEL

Answer 14

• Children who were brought in families with family dysfunction were more likely to develop schizophrenia, but only in those who had a genetic risk

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Question 15

AO3 Focus

Why does Tienari support the interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia?

This will form your Link to your PEEL

Answer 15

Shows both genetic vulnerability and family related stress are important in developing schizophrenia

This will form your Link to your PEEL

Question 16

AO3 Focus

What did Tarrier do?

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Answer 16

Randomly allocated 315 patients to treatment conditions of schizophrenia

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Question 17

AO3 Focus

What did Tarrier find?

This will form the second E of your PEEL

Answer 17

Patients given a combined therapy of medication and CBT had lower symptoms than a group receiving just one treatment

This will form the second E of your PEEL

Question 18

AO3 Focus

Why does Tarrier support the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?

This will form the Link of your PEEL

Answer 18

Because it shows that by using both biological and psychological therapies, schizophrenia can be treated more effectively

This will form the Link of your PEEL

Question 19

AO3 Focus

Does Tinerari support the interactionist approach to explaining or treating schizophrenia?

Does Tarrier support the interactionist approach to explaining or treating schizophrenia?

This is important to remember - you must link back to the appropriate MP in the question

Answer 19

Tienari = explaining schizophrenia

Tarrier = treating schizophrenia

This is important to remember - you must link back to the appropriate MP in the question

Question 20

AO3 Focus

Give an example of how two individuals may contradict the interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Answer 20

Two people may have the same vulnerability and stressor but only one may develop schizophrenia

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Question 21

AO3 Focus

Give an example of how two individuals may contradict the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia

This will form the second E of your PEEL

Answer 21

Two people may receive the same treatment such as drugs and CBT, but both may not have the same recovery outcome

This will form the second E of your PEEL