Adoption studies

• Adoption studies have provided evidence for a genetic basis of schizophrenia
• Heston - adoption study of schizophrenia - method

  • 47 children biological mothers had schiz
  • Control 50 children biological mothers not have schiz
  • Children followed up as adults
  • Interviewed and given intelligence and personality tests
• Heston - adoption study of schizophrenia - Findings

  • 5/47 became schizophrenic
  • 0/50 schizophrenic in control
  • 4/47 borderline schizophrenic
• Heston - adoption study of schizophrenia - Conclusion

  • Study supports view schizophrenia has genetic basis
• Heston - adoption study of schizophrenia - Evaluation

  • Interviews unreliable due to social desirability bias
  • Interviews good for getting naturalistic data
  • Adults who had schizophrenic mothers may not have had schizophrenia yet