Psychological Explanation for Schizophrenia Flashcards
(14 cards)
What does the family dysfunction explanation propose about schizophrenia?
It proposes that schizophrenia develops due to a harmful or stressful family environment characterized by high levels of conflict, criticism, and control.
What is double-bind communication?
It is when a child receives contradictory messages from parents, leading to confusion and disorganized thinking, contributing to positive symptoms like delusions.
What is a schizophrenogenic mother?
A cold, controlling, and rejecting mother, often with a passive father, that fosters tension, secrecy, and mistrust, leading to paranoid delusions.
What is High Expressed Emotion (EE)?
It refers to families that are over-involved, overly critical, or emotionally intense, which can trigger relapse or contribute to the onset of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals.
What is a strength of the family dysfunction explanation?
There is supporting evidence linking family dysfunction to schizophrenia.
What evidence supports the link between family dysfunction and schizophrenia?
Many schizophrenic patients report a history of abuse in childhood, often featuring double-bind communication.
How does attachment research relate to schizophrenia?
People with insecure-resistant attachments, typically caused by conflicting parental signals, are more likely to develop schizophrenia.
What is a limitation of the family dysfunction explanation?
Not all individuals raised in dysfunctional families develop schizophrenia, suggesting family dysfunction alone is not sufficient to cause the disorder.
What alternative model may be more appropriate than the family dysfunction explanation?
The Diathesis-Stress Model, which proposes that family dysfunction triggers schizophrenia in those with an existing vulnerability.
What is another limitation regarding cause and effect in the family dysfunction explanation?
It is difficult to establish whether family dysfunction causes schizophrenia or if schizophrenia causes family dysfunction.
What implication arises if the dysfunctional environment is a reaction rather than a cause?
It suggests that the theory is flawed and may limit treatment effectiveness if it doesn’t address the true cause.
What is a strength of the family dysfunction explanation related to treatment?
The theory has led to successful treatment methods, such as family therapy.
How does family therapy relate to the family dysfunction explanation?
Family therapy aims to reduce criticism, conflict, and emotional over-involvement in families, shown to reduce relapse rates and symptoms.
Why is the effectiveness of treatment derived from the family dysfunction theory significant?
If treatment is effective, it suggests that the theory itself likely has explanatory power, adding credibility.
