Schizophrenia- Social Psychological Explanation: Dysfunctional Families Flashcards
What is the double bind theory?
Bateson (1956) proposed that schizophrenia symtpoms were the result of communication difficulties within a family.
Explain conflicting messages within the double bind theory:
The idea that when children are repeatdely exposed to conflicting messages and the child cannot ignore them or adequately respond to them. These reduce the child’s ability to respond effectively. This is a risk factor for schizophrenia.
How are conflicting messages linked to symptoms of schizophrenia?
Bateson claims long exposure to this communication contradictions means that the child learns to percieve the world in a contradictory way and so cannot distinguish between contradictory messages. Bateson believed this eventually led to the manifestation of schizophrenia symptoms.
What is expressed emotion in the dysfunctional families theory? (Brown 1959)
Investigated 156 schizophrenic men after they had been discharged.
Found that men discharged to live with their parents had a higher chance of relapse than those living with siblings.
Brown found a relationship between expressed emotion and likelihood of relapse.
Describe the components of expressed emotion:
- Critical comments- about behaviour of schizophrenic (by high EE)
- Hostility- anger/rejection of patient (high EE)
- Emotional over-involvement- high levels of happiness, sadness & self sacrifice towards the schizophrenic. (evident in caregivers who felt guilty)
- Warmth- smiling and empathy expressed when caregiver spoke about schizophrenic (low EE)
- Positive regard- number of reinforcing, supportive statements made about schizophrenic (high EE)
Evaluate the double bind theory:
Liem (1974) found that parents of schizoprenics were no more disordered with communication than those without schizophrenic children, suggesting that studies that found differences in communication could be detecting parents having to adapt their communication style when dealing with schizophrenic.
Where do double bind communications come from? (evaluation point)
States DBC may be a symptom of pathology in the parent. In order for DBC to be a sound explanation for schizophrenia, it requires elaboration of the origins of dysfunctional communications.
What research is there to support and refute expressed emotion?
Vaughn & Leff (1976) found 53% of schizophrenics who had high EE relatives relapsed within 9 months, while 12% of low EE relapsed.
McCreadie & Philips (1998) failed to find higher subsequent 6 and 12 month relapse rates among high EE households.
This suggests that although EE may be a significant factor in the relase, although it is not the only factor.
Shared environment or shared genes evaluation?
Using a stress-diathesis model, it could be that family relationships may act as a psychological trigger that causes genetically vulnerable individuals to develop schizophrenia.
