Psychological explanations

• What is the term for a mother who is cold and manipulative, according to Fromm-Reichmann?

  Schizophrenogenic mother
• How does a Schizophrenogenic mother contribute to Sz?

  It can develop paranoid delusions in the child
• Who proposed the Double Bind Theory?

  Bateson et al 1972
• What does the Double Bind Theory suggest about parental communication?

  Conflicting messages create a conflicted worldview
• What is expressed emotion in the context of Sz?

  High levels of negative emotion from parents
• How does expressed emotion relate to Sz relapse?

  It explains relapse, not initial onset
• What is metarepresentation?

  Cognitive ability to reflect on thoughts
• How does dysfunction in metarepresentation relate to Sz symptoms?

  It explains hallucinations and delusions
• What does central control refer to in cognitive explanations of Sz?

  Ability to suppress automatic responses
• How does central control dysfunction manifest in Sz patients?

  It leads to disorganized speech and thought disorder
• What did Read et al (2005) find regarding child abuse and Sz?

  69% of female Sz patients suffered abuse
• What was the finding of Berry et al (2009) regarding attachment styles and Sz?

  Insecure attachment increases Sz risk
• What is a limitation of the evidence supporting family dysfunction?

  Retrospective data may be inaccurate
• What did Stirling et al (2006) find in their study on Sz patients?

  Sz patients took longer on the Stroop Test
• How does Stirling et al's finding support Frith’s theory?

  It aligns with central control dysfunction theory
• What is a limitation of cognitive explanations for Sz?

  They do not explain the origins of Sz
• What is a criticism of the family-based explanations for Sz?

  They are based on unscientific observations
• What is a consequence of the family-based explanations leading to parent blaming?

  Parents feel fully responsible for Sz
• What are the key components of family dysfunction in relation to Sz?

  • Schizophrenogenic mother: cold and domineering
  • Double Bind Theory: conflicting parental messages
  • Expressed Emotion: high negative emotions from caregivers
• What are the cognitive explanations for Sz?

  • Metarepresentation: dysfunction leads to hallucinations
  • Central Control: dysfunction leads to disorganized speech
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence for family dysfunction and Sz?

  Strengths:

  • Large body of evidence supporting family dysfunction

  Weaknesses:

  • Retrospective data may be inaccurate
  • Unscientific basis for some theories