the interactionist approach Flashcards
what is the interactionist approach?
considers that there are biological(genetic vulnerability, neurological abnormality),psychological(stress from life events and daily hassle,poor interactions in their family) and societal factors in the development of schizophrenia.
what is the diathesis stress model
diathesis = vunerability
stress in this context is a negative psychological experience
says that both a vulnerability to schizophrenia and a stress-trigger are necessary for the condition to develop.
describe the meehls model
in the original model ,diathesis was entirely genetic and the result of a single schizogene.
this led to the development of a biologically based schizotypic personality.One characteristic is sensitivity to stress.
Paul Meehl said that if a person doesn’t have the schizogene then no amount of stress would lead to schizophrenia.
what is the modern understanding of diathesis?
It is now believed that many genes increase genetic vulnerability and that there is no single schizogene.
include a range of factors beyond genes such as psychological trauma-so trauma becomes the diathesis rather than the stressor.
what is the modern understanding of stress?
in the original model stress was seen as psychological in nature
the modern definition includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia
what did turkington et al say?
Turkington et al pointed out that it is possible to believe in biological causes of schizophrenia and still practice CBT to relieve psychological symptoms.
however it is not possible to adopt a purely biological approach and to simultaneously treat them with CBT.
how can cannabis be associated with schizophrenia?
recent research has shown cannabis use can trigger an episode of schizophrenia as it is seen as a stressor as it interferes with the dopamine system, and increases the risk of schizophrenia by up to seven times.However most people do not develop schizophrenia after smoking cannabis so there may be one or more vulnerability factors.
evaluation: support
random allocation of medication and CBT
Nicholas Tarrier et al randomly allocated 315 patients to a medication and CBT group,medication and supportive counselling or a control group.
Patients in the two combination groups showed lower symptom levels than those in the control group
evaluation: strength
tienari et al
Tienari et al found that child-rearing style characterised by high levels of criticism and low levels of empathy was implicated in the development of schizophrenia but only for the adopted children who had a high genetic risk and were adopted by Finnish mothers with schizophrenia but not in the adopted control group with no genetic risk.
evaluation: weakness
multiple genes increase vunerability to SZ each having a small effect on their own. stress can come in many forms, including but not limiting to dysfuntional parenting
evaluation: weakness
treatment accusation fallacy
Turkington et al argued there is good logical fit between interactionist approach and using combined treatments. however combining biological and psychological treatment being more effect than them on their own doesn’t mean the interactionist approach is correct
