psychological explanation of sz

• Psychological explanations - social ( environmental ) factors :

  Family dysfunction

  Expressed emotion

  Double bind theory
• Family dysfunction - Fromm - Reichmann ( 1948 ) found that many patients spoke of a particular type of parent ( the schizophrenogenic mother ) - who is cold, rejecting and controlling, creating a family climate characterised by tension and secrecy. This leads to distrust and this develops into paranoid delusions and eventually SZ
• Schizophrenogenic - schizophrenia causing
• Expressed emotion - a family communication style involving verbal criticism, hostility and emotional over involvement. Expressed emotion is the level of emotion expressed towards a patient by their parents. High levels are a source of stress and can trigger the onset of sz
• Double blind theory - Bateson et al ( 1972 ) says that communication style within families is a risk factor for sz.

  When a child receives mixed messages about what is right or wrong and is unable to comment or seek clarification.

  When a child gets it wrong they are punished by withdrawal of love

  They see the world as confusing and dangerous, leading to the development of paranoid delusions and sz
• Dysfunctional thought processing - Frith et al ( 1992 ) there is abnormal cognitive functioning in patients with sz
• Metarepresentation - cognitive ability to reflect on thoughts and behaviour and provide insight into our own intentions and goals. Dysfunction would disrupt our ability to recognises actions as our own
• Central control - cognitive ability to suppress automatic responses while we perform deliberate actions. Disorganised speech and thought disorder can result from the inability to suppress automatic thoughts and speech triggers by other thoughts