interactionist approach

• The interactionist approach acknowledges that a range of factors, including biological, social and psychological, are involved in the development of sz. It is sometimes known as the ‘biosocial’ approach.
• Diathesis-stress model suggests that both a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) and an environmental trigger (stress) are necessary for the onset of schizophrenia.
• Traditional diathesis-stress - Meehl’s model (1962): the diathesis was entirely genetic. A schizogene led to a schizotypic personality which is especially sensitive to stress.
• Modern views of diathesis - a range of factors beyond genes which include psychological trauma.
• Modern views of stress - hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system can become overactive through severe early trauma (e.g child abuse affecting brain development) making the person more vulnerable to later stress
• Turkington et al (2006) believe antipsychotic medication can be used to treat underlying biological causes whilst CBT can be used to relieve symptoms.
•  It is accepted to combine antipsychotics and CBT in the UK but acceptance of the interactionist model has been slower in America.
• Tarrier et al (2004) randomly allocated 315 patients to a medication + CBT group, medication + supportive counselling or a control group. Patients in the combination groups showed lower symptom levels than those with only medication.
• The idea that one schizogene causes sz is outdated and over simplistic. The emphasis on parenting style is also now regarded as being over simplistic and that stress can come in different forms.