Psychological Explanations

• What does the family dysfunction explanation argue regarding schizophrenia (Sz)?

  It argues that maladaptive relationships and communication between family members lead to stress causing Sz.
• What are the three key concepts related to family dysfunction in schizophrenia?

  • Schizophrenogenic mother
  • Double Bind Theory
  • Expressed Emotion
• What does the term 'schizophrenogenic mother' mean?

  It refers to a mother who is cold, rejecting, and controlling, leading to a family climate of tension.
• How does a 'schizophrenogenic mother' contribute to schizophrenia?

  She creates distrust that develops into paranoid delusions and ultimately Sz.
• What does the Double Bind Theory propose about schizophrenia symptoms?

  It proposes that symptoms are an expression of contradictory patterns of interaction in the family.
• Give an example of Double Bind Theory in action.

  A parent tells a child to be more spontaneous but then acts in a non-spontaneous manner.
• What evidence supports the Double Bind Theory?

  Berger (1965) found that schizophrenics reported more double bind statements from their mothers than non-schizophrenics.
• What is a limitation of Berger's study on Double Bind Theory?

  It is correlational, meaning there is no evidence of a causal link between Sz and double bind statements.
• What is expressed emotion (EE) in the context of schizophrenia?

  EE is a qualitative measure of the amount of emotion displayed towards the patient.
• What are the three components of expressed emotion?

  Hostility, emotional overinvolvement, and criticism of the patient.
• How does expressed emotion relate to relapse in schizophrenia?

  It is a robust predictor of relapse in Sz.
• What did Kavanagh (1992) find regarding relapse rates in high-EE environments?

  The median relapse rate in high-EE environments is 48%, compared to 21% in low-EE environments.
• What is a limitation of Kavanagh's study on expressed emotion?

  It relies on patients with Sz to explain their family environment, which may affect validity.
• What are the strengths of the family dysfunction explanation for schizophrenia?

  • John Read et al (2005) found insecure attachment increases Sz risk.
  • Practical applications for therapy in high-EE households.
• What are the weaknesses of the family dysfunction explanation for schizophrenia?

  • Issues with cause and effect regarding cognitive deficits and Sz.
  • Incomplete explanation of cognitive deficits origins.
  • Reliance on patient recollections may lower internal validity.
  • Lack of systematic evidence for double bind and schizophrenogenic mother theories.
  • Social sensitivity in blaming families for Sz.
  • EE may be a symptom rather than a cause.
  • Subjectivity in classifying high and low EE families.
• What do cognitive explanations argue about schizophrenia?

  Cognitive explanations argue that Sz behaviors result from faulty mental processes and cognitive biases.
• What memory deficits are often exhibited by individuals with schizophrenia?

  Individuals with Sz often exhibit deficits in working memory, impacting complex cognitive tasks.
• How do memory impairments affect individuals with schizophrenia?

  They contribute to difficulties in organizing thoughts, maintaining attention, and problem-solving.
• What types of dysfunctional thought processing are associated with schizophrenia?

  Sz is associated with cognitive biases, such as feeling targeted and believing thoughts are implanted.
• What is metarepresentation dysfunction in schizophrenia?

  It is the inability to reflect on thoughts and behavior, disrupting recognition of one's own actions.
• How does metarepresentation dysfunction explain hallucinations?

  Patients attribute their own thoughts to an external source due to this dysfunction.
• What is central control dysfunction in schizophrenia?

  It is the inability to suppress automatic thoughts and actions in response to stimuli.
• How does central control dysfunction explain speech poverty in schizophrenia?

  It leads to derailment of thoughts and spoken sentences due to triggered associations.
• What evidence supports cognitive explanations of schizophrenia?

  • Stirling (2006) found Sz patients took longer than controls in a STROOP test.