A01

• What are 2 psychological explanations for schizophrenia?

  1. Family dysfunction

  2. Cognitive explanation
• What is family dysfunction?

  Abnormal processes within a family which act as risk factors for the development and maintenance of schizophrenia
• What are three risk factors within the family which could trigger schizophrenia?

  1. Double bind theory - poor communication

  2. The schizophrenogenic mother - cold parenting

  3. Expressed emotion - high levels of expressed, negative emotion
• What traits does a schizophrenogenic mother have and how can this lead to schizophrenia?

  Cold, rejecting and controlling = climate of tensions and secrecy which leads to distrust which could then lead to paranoid delusions
• What is the double bind theory?

  Children are given conflicting messages from parents e.g. mother telling son she loves him and turning away in disgust = confusion in child
• How can the double-bind theory lead to schizophrenia?

  Mixed messages prevent development of internally coherent construction of reality = manifestation of schizophrenic symptoms (psychosis)
• What is expressed emotion?

  • Family communication style - high levels of negative emotions are expressed leading to hostile climate
  • Occasionally accompanied with violence
• What does expressed emotion lead to?

  Higher relapse rates
• What evidence shows the role of family dysfunction in the development of schizophrenia?

  Read et al. (2005) - 69% of women in-patients with schizophrenia had a history of physical abuse, sexual abuse or both
• What did Fromm-Reichman find?

  Fromm-Reichmann (1948) found that many of her patients who had schizophrenia spoke of a particular type of parent which she called the schizophrenogenic mother
• What is a psychodynamic explanation for schizophrenia?

  The schizophrenogenic mother
• Why are psychological explanations for schizophrenia proximal?

  Psychological explanation for schizophrenia focuses on immediate / direct factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of schizophrenia, rather than its ultimate (longterm) causes