Interactionist approach

• The interactionist approach to explaining and treating schizophrenia acknowledges the contribution of biological, psychological, and social factors
• An example of the interactionist approach is the diathesis-stress model, which suggests that mental illness originates through the combination of an underlying vulnerability (diathesis) and a stress trigger
• Meehl originally applied the diathesis-stress model to schizophrenia, suggesting vulnerability to schizophrenia was entirely genetic due to a single "schizogene"
• Recent understanding has evolved to show that vulnerability can result from psychological trauma in childhood, not solely genetics, and stress triggering schizophrenia can be non-psychological
• In the real world, the diathesis-stress model has shown effectiveness in combining biological and psychological treatments for schizophrenia, leading to superior treatment outcomes
• Research by Tienari et al. supports the interactionist approach by showing that parenting styles with high criticism and conflict are associated with developing schizophrenia in children of schizophrenic mothers
• A limitation of the approach is the lack of understanding of the exact mechanisms by which vulnerability and stress lead to schizophrenia symptoms
• The original diathesis-stress model is considered too simplistic as stress factors can include biological influences, such as childhood sexual abuse and increased cannabis use, which can affect vulnerability and stress levels