Fromm-Reichmann‘s explanation of schizophrenia is schizophrogenic mothers (mothers who cause schizophrenia). Psychological explanations for schizophrenia: family dysfunction and cognitive explanations, including dysfunctional thought processing. These mothers are cold, rejecting and controlling, and create a family climate of tension and secrecy. This leads to distrust, paranoid delusions and schizophrenia.
Bateson introduced the double bind theory, describing how a child may be regularly trapped in situations where they fear doing the wrong thing, but receive conflicting messages about what counts as wrong. They can’t express their feelings about the unfairness of the situation. When they ‘get it wrong’ they are punished by the withdrawal of love, learning the world is confusing and dangerous which leads to disorganised thinking and delusions.
Expressed emotion (EE) is the level of emotion (mainly negative) expressed including:
Verbal criticism of the person with schizophrenia.
Hostility towards them.
Emotional over-involvement in their life.
High levels of EE cause stress in the person, may trigger onset of schizophrenia or relapse.
