Psychological explanations

• Family dysfunction as an explanation 


  Suggests it is the interpersonal relationships within the family that result in symptoms
• the schizophrenogenic mother 


  psychodynamic theory

  • suggests people with schizophrenia get their paranoid delusions as a result of influence of cold, rejecting and controlling mother and a passive father
  • creates an atmosphere of stress, tension and secrecy within the family
  • this atmosphere triggers psychotic thinking
• double bind theory 


  child get mixed messages and feels unable to do the correct thing

  • results in disorganised thinking and paranoia
• expressed emotion


  Verbal interactions the caregiver has with schizophrenia

  • exaggerated involvement - indicating the sufferer is a burden via self sacrifice e.g ”i do so much for you it is hard for me”
  • criticism and control of sufferers behaviour - “you don’t know how to do anything, you need to listen to me and do what your told”
  • hostility - physical, verbal or emotional suggestino rejection
• A03 of psychological explanations

  expressed emotion - Butzlaff and Hooley 1998:

  • used meta-analysis of 27 studies
  • showed relapse into schizophrenia is significantly more likely in families that have issues with expressed emotion

  family dysfunction - Tienari 2004:

  • suggests interpersonal family envrionment can have significant influence on development of schizophrenia in genetically vulnerable people
• Further A03

  Family therapy

  • reduces expressed emotion in families - been demonstrated to be an effective intervention and supports family dysfunction argument

  socially sensitive

  • to suggest schizophrenia is caused by family may add to stress and anxiety