genetics

• • Gottesman 42% concordance rate (of schizophrenia) MZ, 9% DZ twins.
  • support genetic component as the twins with the highest concordance rate share the most genetics.
  • concordance rate is not 100% and MZ twins share 100% of their DNA, schizophrenia can’t be attributed to just genetics, must be environmental factors which lead to the development of schizophrenia.
• • criticism is the assumption only differ in terms of genetics.
  • Because MZ twins are more similar they tend to have more of a shared environment and be treated more similarly resulting in identity confusion and similar behaviour therefore this increased concordance rate could be down to enviornmental factors like how they are treated.
• Evidence that an interactionist approach may be better comes from Tienari who investigated the combination of genetic vunerability and parenting style in children adopted from mothers with schizophrenia. The adoptive parents were assessed for child rearing style and rates of schizophrenia, compared to a control group without any genetic risk. They found a child rearing style with high levels of criticism and conflict and low levels of empathy appeared to be associated with developing schixophrenia, but only those with a high genetic risk. This suggests genes alone cannot explain schixo.
• and a gene-enviornment interaction is needed for the diorder to develop, the diathesis stress model may be a better way of explaining it. With a genetic vunerability (schixophrenic motehr) being triggered by the enviotnment (family dysfunction) suggesting the disorder is a combination fo nature and nurture