Family Dysfunction

• What are the main categories of explanations for schizophrenia?

  • Biological
  • Psychological
  • Family Dysfunction
  • Cognitive Dysfunction
• What are the three theories of family dysfunction related to schizophrenia?

  Schizophrenogenic mother, Double Bind theory, Expressed Emotion
• How do cognitive theories explain schizophrenia?

  They explain dysfunctional thought processing
• What is the role of maladaptive relationships in family dysfunction related to schizophrenia?

  • They can cause or influence stress
  • Create negative cognitive biases (schemas)
  • Influence the onset of schizophrenia
• What features characterize the schizophrenogenic mother?

  Cold, rejecting, and controlling
• How might the characteristics of a schizophrenogenic mother affect a child?

  They may lead to insecure attachment types
• What did Berry (2008) find regarding avoidant attachment and schizophrenia?


  Avoidant attachment was associated with positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and paranoia
• What is the psychodynamic explanation for schizophrenia proposed by Fromm-Reichmann (1948)?


  The schizophrenogenic mother drives their children crazy
• What did Fromm-Reichmann (1948) study to understand schizophrenia?


  Personality tests of mothers and family interaction patterns
• What does the Double-bind theory suggest about children and schizophrenia?

  Children receiving contradictory messages from parents are likely to develop schizophrenia
• How does the Double-bind theory affect a child's perception of the world?

  It leads the child to see the world as confusing and dangerous
• What are examples of double-bind situations?

  • A mother stiffens during a hug
  • An older sister looks unhappy while expressing love
  • A father fails to attend his son's birthday party
  • A grandmother gives contradictory compliments
  • A husband makes sarcastic comments
• What is expressed emotion (EE) in the context of schizophrenia?

  It is the attitude and communication style of the family towards the individual
• What elements are included in expressed emotion (EE)?

  Verbal criticism, hostility, emotional over-involvement
• How does high expressed emotion (EE) affect schizophrenia patients according to Linszen et al. (1997)?


  They are 4x more likely to relapse
• What are examples of hostility in expressed emotion (EE)?

  • "If you do that again I will shout at you."
  • "I wish you had never been born."
  • "You are the reason that we are all so unhappy."
• What behaviors indicate emotional over-involvement in expressed emotion (EE)?

  • Interfering in other family members’ affairs
  • Excessive concern for the individual's personal life
  • Overreacting to the individual's problems