Schizophrenia - The interactionist approach to explaining and treating schizophrenia

Question 1

What is the interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia?

Answer 1

-The interactionist approach suggests that the development of schizophrenia is due to the combined effects and interaction of: Biological, psychological and social factors

Question 2

What is the diathesis stress model?

Answer 2

-The diathesis stress model is a psychological concept that states that a disorder is due to the interaction between a predisposed vulnerability (Diathesis) and an environmental trigger later in life (Trigger)

Question 3

What is the “Diathesis” in the diathesis stress model?

Answer 3

• Diathesis in schizophrenia is often considered to be a genetic vulnerability, potentially resulting in a dopamine
• Now many researchers consider non genetic diathesis, such as flu in pregnant mothers and birth complications
• Also very early psychological trauma such as child abuse is thought to influence brain development creating a genetic vulnerability (A diathesis)

Question 4

What is the “Stressor” in the diathesis stress model?

Answer 4

• Stressors in schizophrenia are seen as later negative environmental experiences such as family dysfunction, emotional stress/anxiety or a major negative life event
• This emotional event then triggers the disorder
• Drug abuse is also considered a potential stressor, in particular the excessive use of cannabis has been linked to schizophrenia as it interferes with the dopamine system

Question 5

How does research by Gottesman support the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?

Answer 5

• Gottesman reviewed cases of schizophrenia and found a concordance rate of 48% for identical twins (Monozygotic/MZ) and 17% for non identical twins (Dizygotic/DZ)
• This compares to the general population rate of 1%
• This suggests a role for both biological genetic factors as the concordance rate is much higher for identical twins who share 100% of their DNA, but as the concordance rate is far less than 100% for MZ twins this suggests that there must be some psychological experience triggered in one twin but not the ther

Question 6

How does research by Tienari support the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?

Answer 6

• Tienari studied the biological children of schizophrenic mothers who had been adopted
• It was found that 5.8% of the children adopted into psychologically healthy families developed schizophrenia compared to 36.8% of children raised in dysfunctional families
• This research supports the influence of biological factors, due to the high rate even in psychologically healthy families, but the even higher figure for dysfunctional families suggests a psychological trigger is needed

Question 7

What is the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?

Answer 7

• The interactionist approach believes that the effective treatment for schizophrenia combines psychological aspects such as CBT and biological drug therapies to address both causes
• In patients with severe schizophrenic symptoms, biological treatments can allow the patient to reduce their symptoms so they can engage with psychological therapies
• CBT can give the sufferers the cognitive skills to change their underlying faulty cognitions

Question 8

How does research conducted by Tarrier support the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?

Answer 8

• Tarrier conducted supporting research in which patients were randomly placed in routine care or routine care and CBT
• Patients in the combined treatment had a significant improvement in the severity and number of positive symptoms as well as fewer days in hospital receiving care
• This suggests that an interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia is more effective than a usual treatment plan of giving anti-psychotics alone
• Giving support to the overall interactionalist theory

Question 9

What is a strength of the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia

Answer 9

• The interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia is a holistic explanation of human behaviour as it takes into consideration a complex range of causal factors
• This may make the approach more valid than theories that reduce the cause of schizophrenia to just certain biological or psychological factors

Question 10

What is a weakness of the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?

Answer 10

-The fundamental mechanism by which a negative psychological event actually triggers a complex biological response resulting in symptoms is still uncertain reducing confidence in the interactionist approach as a full explanation for schizophrenia