Psychological explanations

• What are the two different psychological explanations for schizophrenia mentioned?

  Family dysfunction and cognitive explanations
• What is the focus of family dysfunction theories in schizophrenia?

  • Family dynamics contribute to onset and relapse
  • Problems within families are significant factors
• Who introduced the concept of the schizophrenogenic mother?

  Fromm-Reichmann
• What characterizes a schizophrenogenic mother?

  Controlling, rejecting, and cold behavior
• What effect does a schizophrenogenic mother have on a child?

  Causes excessive stress triggering psychotic thinking
• What family climate is associated with a schizophrenogenic mother?

  Tension and secrecy
• What is the double-bind theory related to?

  Contradictory signals from parents
• What does double-bind theory suggest about children's experiences?

  Children face impossible situations from parents
• How does double-bind theory contribute to schizophrenia symptoms?

  Leads to confusion and social withdrawal
• What internal conflict does double-bind theory create in children?

  Inability to act without parental disapproval
• What is expressed emotion (EE) in the context of schizophrenia?

  Negative emotions expressed by caregivers
• What types of negative emotions are included in expressed emotion?

  Criticism, hostility, and emotional over-involvement
• How does high expressed emotion affect individuals with schizophrenia?

  Causes stress beyond their coping mechanisms
• What can trigger a schizophrenic episode according to expressed emotion theory?

  Returning to a high EE family environment
• What family dynamics can encourage paranoid symptoms in schizophrenia?

  Secret alliances between family members
• What family environment may help reduce the risk of relapse in schizophrenia?

  • Relatively supportive
  • Emotionally understanding
• What is required for the evaluation of psychological explanations for schizophrenia?

  • 3 or 4 PET paragraphs
  • Use photocopied sheet and textbook
• What are the two different psychological explanations for schizophrenia?

  Family dysfunction and cognitive explanations
• What are the key components of family dysfunction as a psychological explanation for schizophrenia?

  • Schizophrenogenic mother
  • Double-bind theory
  • Expressed emotion (EE)
• What does the cognitive explanation for schizophrenia focus on?

  Dysfunctional thought processing and mental processes
• How do people with schizophrenia differ in their thought processes compared to those without?

  They have disrupted normal thought processes
• What problems do individuals with schizophrenia face regarding attention and communication?

  They experience information overload and attention issues
• What is meant by 'reality testing' in the context of schizophrenia?

  Considering if their thoughts might be wrong
• Who identified the two types of dysfunctional thought in schizophrenia?

  Frith et al (1992)
• What are the two types of dysfunctional thought identified by Frith et al (1992)?

  • Metarepresentation dysfunction
  • Central control dysfunction
• How can metarepresentation dysfunction be linked to symptoms of schizophrenia?

  It affects self-awareness and interpretation of reality
• How does central control dysfunction relate to schizophrenia symptoms?

  It disrupts the ability to suppress irrelevant thoughts
• What is the egocentric bias in individuals with schizophrenia?

  External events are interpreted as personally relevant
• How might someone with schizophrenia interpret muffled voices?

  As people criticizing them
• What irrational conclusion might a person with schizophrenia draw from flashes of light?

  It is a signal from God
• What cognitive strategies might schizophrenics use to manage emotions?

  Control high levels of mental stimulation
• How might a schizophrenic's emotional display differ from their internal experience?

  They may feel more emotion than shown
• What is required for evaluating psychological explanations of schizophrenia?

  • 3 or 4 PET paragraphs
  • Use photocopied sheet and textbook (p207)
• What should be compared when evaluating schizophrenia explanations?

  • Similarities and differences
  • Biological vs psychological explanations
• What is the role of the schizophrenogenic mother in family dysfunction?

  It is a negative influence on children
• What does double-bind theory suggest about communication in families?

  It creates conflicting messages for children
• What is expressed emotion (EE) in the context of family dysfunction?

  High levels of criticism and emotional over-involvement