Social Explanation - Dysfunctional Families

Question 1

Explain the double bind theory…

Answer 1

Gregory Bateson and colleagues (1956) proposed symptoms seen in those with schizophrenia were a result of familial communication difficulties due to conflicting messages

Long-term exposure will cause the child to perceive the world in terms of contradictory input from the environment, leading to manifestations of symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions

Question 2

Explain conflicting messages…

Answer 2

Child is repeatedly exposed to social interactions, where two conflicting messages prevent the child from ignoring or adequately responding to them, incapacitating the child’s ability to respond effectively, and causing the child to become unable to meta-communicate due to reliance on the parent

Question 3

Explain expressed emotion…

Answer 3

Brown (1959) investigated 156 men with schizophrenia where relapse was strongly connected to the types of home they were discharged to through the use of interviews

Question 4

Explain the components of expressed emotion…

Answer 4

Critical comments about the behaviour of teh individuals with schizophrenia - low EE caregivers tend to acknowledge the role of the illness

Hostility with high EE caregivers

Emotional over-involvement - manifests in high levels of happiness, sadness, extreme overprotective behaviour, and excessive self-sacrifice

Warmth measured by vocal qualities, smiling and empathy when talking

Positive regard - lacking in low EE caregivers