Interactionalist approach

• What does the Interactionist Approach Consider?

  a range of factors, including biological, psychological and social, which are involved in the development of SZ
• Explain the Diathesis-Stress Model

  individuals have varying genetic potentials for SZ, that combine with the degree of environmental stressors to form their actual vulnerability

  
  

  growing evidence for the DTSM may prove that looking at both factors are more credible than looking at genetic/environmental factors separately
• Explain Diathesis


  SZ has a genetic component, but discordance between twins suggest environmental factors play a role

  
  

  there is no 'schizogene' but many genes which may increase vulnerability
• Explain Research into Diathesis

  Read et al. argues that diathesis includes a range of factors such as psychological trauma. It has been proposed that early psychological trauma alters an infant's developing brain, increasing vulnerability.
• Explain Stress


  certain events could trigger SZ e.g., childhood trauma, living in a highly urbanised environment and psychological triggers
• Strengths of Interactionist Approach

  Barlow and Durans found a genetic link for SZ, when combined with stress this increases SZ risk

  
  

  Support for the effectiveness of combinations of treatment-Nicholas Tarrier et al randomly allocated 315 patients to a medication and CBT group,medication and supportive counselling or a control group.Patients in the two combination groups showed lower symptom levels than those in the control group(medication only).There was no difference in rates of hospital readmission.

  
  

  Evidence for the role of vulnerability and triggers-Tienari et al found that child-rearing style characterised by high levels of criticism and low levels of empathy was implicated in the development of schizophrenia but only for the adopted children who had a high genetic risk and were adopted by Finnish mothers with schizophrenia but not in the adopted control group with no genetic risk.
• What are the Interactionist Treatments?

  a combination of treatments given simultaneously is more effective than one treatment in isolation. effectiveness of treatments depends on relapse rate, cost, side effects etc.
• Strengths of Interactionist Treatments

  combining treatments may be cost effective, SZ often has a biological basis, and psychological components, so a combination treatment is desirable.

  
  

  Research support

  
  

  Guo et al. found patients with early SZ who received antipsychotics and CBTp had improved insight, social functioning and quality of life

  
  

  Morris and Turkington reported that drug treatment+CBT produced better rates of symptom reduction than on their own
• Weaknesses of interactionist treatments

  combining treatments isn't always suitable e.g., CBTp can interpret the side effects of antipsychotics in a delusional manner, leading to mistrust of treatment