Interactionist approach

• Original diathesis stress model

  > Diathesis is entirely genetic and down to a single 'schizo-gene', which makes someone sensitive to stress

  > Meehl suggested that if a person does not have this schizo-gene then no amount of stress would lead to schizophrenia

  > If you have the gene, stress through childhood, such as having a schizophrenogenic mother could lead to schizophrenia
• Modern explanation of diathesis

  > It is now believed there is no schizo-gene, but many genes that increase genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia (polygenic)

  > It is also believed that factors other then genes can be a diathesis such as psychological trauma
• Modern explanation of stress

  > A modern definition of stress includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia, not just parenting

  > Cannabis use increases the risk of schizophrenia by up to 7 times
• Diathesis stress model AO3

  :) RTS Tienari

  > They followed up 19,000 adopted children in Finland whose mothers had schizophrenia and compared them to a control group of adopted children without any genetic risk

  > Those children who were brought up in families with a lot of conflict and low empathy were much more likely to develop schizophrenia but only in the children who had a genetic vulnerability, not the control group

  > Suggesting that both genetic vulnerability and family related stress are important in the development of schizophrenia
• Diathesis stress model AO3

  :( Individual differences

  > People may have the same vulnerability and stressor but one may not develop schizophrenia

  > We do not have a full understanding of the interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia
• Interactionist approach AO3

  :) RTS Tarrier

  > 315 patients were randomly allocated to treatment conditions

  > They found that patients given a combined therapy of medication and CBT/counselling had lower symptom levels than a control group with just one treatment (medication).

  > This therefore suggests by adopting an interactionist approach and using both biological and psychological therapies, patient’s schizophrenic symptoms will be treated more effectively