Psychological Explanations

• What are the types of family dysfunction?

  Schizophrenogenic mother

  Double-bind theory

  Expressed emotion
• Who developed the schizophrenogenic mother?

  Fromm-Reichmann 1984
• What are the qualities of a schizophrenogenic parent/mother?

  Cold, rejecting, controlling
• What are aspects of family that predisposes a person to schizophrenia?

  Tension & Secrecy
• What may a schizophrenogenic mother cause the child to become?

  Distrustful & paranoid
• Who developed the double bind theory for schizophrenia?

  Bateson et al 1972
• What is identified as important in Double bind theory?

  Family climate

  Role of communication in family
• What may act as a risk factor for schizophrenia according to double-bind theory?

  Mixed messages

  Punishment with emotional withdrawal

  Inability to seek clarification
• What affect does double bind theory have on the child?

  They see the world as highly confusing & dangerous as they always feel they are doing wrong
• What are high levels of expressed emotion?

  When parent/carers are overly emotional towards child
• What are qualities of a parent that has high levels of expressed emotion?

  Hostile, angry, often reject

  Partake in needless self-involvement in life

  Are emotionally overly-involved in child’s life
• How does high levels of expressed emotion act as a risk factor for schizophrenia?

  Acts as a serious & continuous source of stress
• What did Read et al find?

  69% of women & 59% of men with schizophrenia have a history of abuse
• How does Read et al support the psychological explanation for schizophrenia?

  Provides evidence that childhood experience are contributing factor to the development of schizophrenia
• What is the issue with reports about sexual abuse?

  It may be false as it is a sensitive topic so cannot always trust findings
• What is a social issue with the psychological explanations for schizophrenia?

  It is socially sensitive as it involves attributing the development of schizophrenia to childhood experience & environment.

  Parent-blaming
• How is issues with causation a limitation of family dysfunction?

  Things such as high expressed emotion may be a symptom of schizophrenia within the family so it cannot act as a predictor to identify those at risk of developing schizophrenia
• What was the main methodological issue with family dysfunction studies?

  Information about childhood experiences was collated after shown symptoms & diagnosis of schizophrenia
• What does collecting data about family dysfunction after schizophrenia diagnosis mean about the studies?

  They do not provide true systematic evidence.

  Large influence from researcher bias

  Ps may interpret early experiences differently to the truth
• What did Berger 1965 show?

  Schizophrenics had a higher recall of double-bind statements by their mother when compared to a control non-psychotic group