Psychological explanations for schizophrenia: family dysfunction

Question 1

What are the psychological explanations of schizophrenia?

Answer 1

• Family dysfunction
• Double-bind theory
• Expressed emotion

Question 2

How does family dysfunction contribute to schizophrenia?

Answer 2

• Suggests that growing up in a dysfunctional family can make individuals vulnerable to developing schizophrenia
• Factors such as cold, rejecting and controlling parent, along with a family climate characterised by tension and secrecy, can lead to distrust and eventually paranoid delusions

Question 3

What is the schizophrenic mother?

Answer 3

A concept proposed by Frieda Fromm-Reichmann (1948)

She described this type of mother as cold, rejecting and controlling, creating a family environment that may lead to the development of schizophrenia.

The mother’s behaviour creates tension and secrecy, fostering a sense of distrust that can later manifest as paranoid delusions.

Question 4

What is the double-bind theory?

Answer 4

• Proposed by Gregory-Bateson (1972)
• emphasises the role of communication style within family in the development of schizophrenia
• individuals, particularly children find themselves trapped in situations where they fear making mistakes due to conflicting messages and inability to seek clarification
• punishment for mistakes result in disorganised thinking and paranoid delusions

Question 5

What is expressed emotion?

Answer 5

• refers to the level of emotion, particularly negative emotion, expressed to a person with schizophrenia by their carers
• includes elements of verbal criticism, hostility and emotional over-involvement
• high levels of expressed emotion is a significant source of stress for the patient and can contribute to a relapse

Question 6

How does expressed emotion relate to schizophrenia?

Answer 6

• Primarily the explanation for relapse of individuals with schizophrenia
• High levels of negative emotion expressed towards individuals with schizophrenia by carers can cause significant stress
• However it also suggests that highly expressed emotion can cause the onset of schizophrenia may trigger the onset of schizophrenia in those who are already vulnerable, such as individuals with a genetic predisposition, according to the diathesis-stress model