Social Psych Exp Dsyfunctional Families Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is the dysfunctional families explanation?
The idea that family relationships could be a causal factor in the development of SZ.
A development on the psychodynamic theory of schizophrenogenic mother
What are the two key concepts?
Double bind theory (Bateson)
Expressed emotion (brown)
What is did Bateson propose for the double bind theory?
That symptoms of SZ were the result of communication difficulties in the family but particularly between parent and child.
What are Conflicting messages
The child is repeatedly exposed to social interactions where there are two conflicting messages and the child doesn’t know how to respond.
What is an example of conflicting messages
Father asks “ I’d love to hear what you did at school today” whilst watching the tv and not really listening to what his child is saying.
If a child recieves mixed messages they will……
Find themselves trapped in situations where they fear they are doing the wrong thing but are too scared to seek clarification. This means the child cannot communicate effectively
How does double bind lead to symptoms of SZ
Long term exposure to these messages means that the child learns to perceive the world in terms of contradictory input. They internalise the contradictory messages leading their own internal conflict.
This then manifests in the form of hallucinations and delusions as a method to escape the internal conflict caused by double bind
What is EE
EE is when families persistently exhibit negative emotions
What are the main elements of EE
Verbal criticism
Hostility towards the child/patient
Emotional over involvement in the life of the child/patient
How did brown assess EE
By measuring the:
Frequency of critical comments towards the patient
Number of statements of dislike and resentment made towards the patient
Number of statements reflecting over involvement or over protectiveness towards the patient
Brown discovered that….
(Relapse rates)
Patients who were discharged into households with high EE were often readmitted due to relapse.
Reducing the levels of EE in families with a SZ member may significantly reduce relapse rates
Applying explanations to methods of modifying
Dysfunctional families= family therapy
If SZ is caused by dysfunctional family, family therapy aims to improve the environment of the family home, improve relationships and reduce relapse in individuals with SZ.
Family therapy for SZ typically includes education, stress reduction, emotional processing, and regulating as well as structured problem solving. The group will work together to improve their knowledge of the illness and its management. This helps to promote apathy and affective support, while also changing any unhelpful communication patterns that exist. Thsi effectively reduces EE in the family home and lessons the chance of double bind experiences
