Schizophrenia Social Explanation - Dysfunctional Families Flashcards
What does double bind theory explain?
The development of schizophrenia as a consequence of abnormal and inadequate patterns of communication within families.
Who proposed the double bind theory?
Gregory Bateson in 1956.
What are conflicting messages in the context of double bind theory?
When a child is exposed to two conflicting messages and cannot ignore or adequately respond to them.
Give an example of a conflicting message.
A father tells his daughter he wants to hear about her day while focusing on the television.
What does a double bind result in for the child?
The child receives two separate messages that contradict each other, causing conflict.
How does double bind communication affect the child’s perception?
The child learns to perceive the world in terms of contradictory input and cannot discriminate between messages.
What symptoms can arise from double bind statements according to Bateson?
Hallucinations and delusions as a means of escaping the conflict. Also leads to maladaptive thinking patterns.
What did Berger (1965) find about schizophrenics and double bind statements?
Schizophrenics had a higher recall of double bind statements from their mothers than non-schizophrenic controls.
What did Mischler and Waxler (1968) discover about mothers and their communication?
Mothers of schizophrenics were distant and unresponsive compared to their behavior with non-schizophrenic daughters.
What was Brown’s (1959) finding regarding relapse in schizophrenia?
Relapse was strongly connected with the type of home men were discharged to. Those stayed with parents/wives were more likely to relapse than those who lived in shelters.
There’s a relationship between relapse and Expressed Emotion
What is expressed emotion (EE)?
The emotional climate and communication style within a family that can affect the likelihood of relapse.
What are the components of expressed emotion?
- Critical comments
- Hostility
- Emotional over-involvement
What are critical comments in the context of EE?
Negative comments or judgments about the person’s behavior, often blaming or fault-finding.
What does hostility refer to in EE?
Open expressions of anger, resentment, or rejection toward the individual.
What is emotional over-involvement (EOI)?
Excessive concern, overprotectiveness, or self-sacrificing behavior toward the individual.
What characterizes low expressed emotion?
- Warmth
- Positive regard
How is warmth measured in low EE?
By vocal qualities, smiling, and empathy expressed by the caregiver.
What does positive regard refer to in the context of low EE?
The number of reinforcing statements expressing support and appreciation of the individual with schizophrenia.
What is a major issue with the double bind theory?
Establishing cause and effect between communication difficulties and schizophrenia
It is unclear whether communication difficulties cause schizophrenia or if schizophrenia leads to communication difficulties.
What did Liem (1974) find regarding the communication styles of parents with a schizophrenic child?
They were no more disordered than those of parents with non-schizophrenic children
This suggests that family communication may be a consequence of having a child with schizophrenia.
What does the evaluation of the double bind theory indicate about establishing cause-and-effect relationships?
It is difficult due to the nature of correlational studies
Longitudinal research is needed to determine the direction of causality.
What did Koopsmans (1997) suggest about incidental variations in family interactions?
They are not normally harmful
This implies that double bind communication alone is unlikely to cause schizophrenia.
What might double bind communication do in genetically vulnerable individuals?
It may escalate symptoms rather than being a sole causal factor
This aligns with the diathesis-stress model.
What evidence supports the role of expressed emotion (EE) in the relapse of schizophrenia?
Vaughn and Leff (1976) found 53% of individuals in high-EE families relapsed within nine months
In contrast, only 12% of those in low-EE families relapsed.
