Interactionist Approach Flashcards
What is the interactionist approach?
-a way to explain the development of behaviour in terms of a range of factors
-north psychological and biological ones
What is the diathesis stress model?
-an interactionist approach to explaining behaviour
-S is explained as the result of both an underlying vulnerability and a trigger
What is stress?
-anything that risks triggering S
-cannabis increases risk of S x7 times
What are some biological factors?
-genetic vulnerability
-neurochemical and neurological abnormality
What are some psychological factors?
-stress as a result from life events
-poor social interactions
What does the diathesis stress model state?
-both a vulnerably to S and a stress trigger are necessary in order to develop the disorder
-one or more underlying factors make a person vulnerable
-onset of condition is triggered by stress
What did the original model state?
-was entirely genetic - the result of a single ‘schizogene’
-led to idea of biologically based schizotypic personality
-symptom = sensitivity to stress
-if a person doesn’t have schizogene then no amount of stress would lead to S
What is a contradiction to the original model?
-in carriers of the gene
-chronic stress through childhood and adolescence, in presence of a schizophrengenic mother could result in development of S
What is the modern understanding of diathesis?
-there is no single ‘schizogene’
-factors beyond genetic like psychological trauma becomes the diathesis rather than the stressor
-early trauma can seriously affect many aspects of brain development like the hypothalamic - pituitary-adrenal system
-becomes overactive = vulnerable to stress
What is the modern understanding of stress?
-anything that risks triggering S
-research into factors triggering S has concerned cannabis use
-cannabis is a stressor as it increases the risk
-as it interferes with dopamine system
What did Turkington find about treatment?
-possible to believe in biological causes of S and still practice CBT to relieve psychological symptoms
-requires adopting an interactionist model - tell patients that their condition is purely biological and then treat with CBT
What was support for diathesis stress model?
-evidence for contribution of both diathesis and stress to development of S
-Tienari - studied children adopted away from S mothers
-adaptative parents parenting styles were assessed and compared with control group with no genetic risk
-high levels of criticism and conflict - was implicites in development of S
-strong direct support for interactionist approach-genetic vulnerability and family related stress combined in the development of S
What is a contradiction for the diathesis stress model?
-hard to generalise as it only focuses on Finnish individuals
-example of beta bias and is a real issue as it may cause an imposed ethic to be applied to other cultures
-could be used to help develop Finland’s indigenous psychological theory of development of S in Finland
-as it may be irrelevant to people in other cultures
What is an alternative to the diathesis stress model?
-too simplistic
-multiple genes increases vulnerability
-each with a small effect on its own
-stress comes in many forms
-researchers now believe that stress can also involve biological factors
-eg. Houston found childhood trauma was a diathesis and cannabis use a trigger
-shows that the old idea of diathesis as biological and stress as psychological has tuned out be overly simple
What is a practical application of the diathesis stress model?
-by understanding the cause a more effective treatment can be offered
-Tarrier - randomly allocated 315 patients to medication + CBT or medication + supportive counselling group or a control group
-patients in 2 combo group showed lower symptoms levels than those in control group
-show there is a clear practical advantage to adopting an interactionist approach in the form of superior treatment outcomes
