The psychological theory – The Social Drift Theory

• Tries to explain why there is a relationship between social class and schizophrenia
• Schizophrenia is strongly linked to class, with working class people being about five times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than higher social groups.
• Many people belonging to the middle and upper classes who develop schizophrenia do not stay in the social class they were born into. By the time they are diagnosed they have often moved into a lower social class.
• People with SZ get caught in a downwards spiral into poverty and loss of status.
• People begin to develop SZ and lose touch with reality

  They begin to opt out of society
• People opt out of society


  They are not interested in normal activities (getting a decent education, holding down a job, promotion)
• People opt out of society


  They may not be motivated by the things that an income is needed for (buying gadgets, holidays)
• People opt out of society

  Even if they want to remain part of normal society their diagnosis makes it difficult for them to do this (i.e. they are frequently off sick from their job)
• People are diagnosed with SZ

  They find it difficult to find new employment
• People are diagnosed with SZ

  They find it difficult to integrate with their communities
• People are diagnosed with SZ

  They face a label and stigma associated with SZ
• The cycle involves a disengagement of individuals who do not feel part of society. As they begin to drop out and stop following social norms, they then experience rejection by society. Rejection leads to further disengagement, which results in further rejection and so on. It is very difficult for anyone to recover from being at the bottom of society.