Interactionist approach

• What is the diathesis stress model?


  Someone has a genetic vulnerability for SZ, and the illness is then triggered by a stressful event or situation
• Who found heightened cortisol triggers SZ?


  Jones and Fernyhough
• What are protective factors?


  Factors that offset risk factors such as loving grandparents or personality
• What did Tierani find?

  • Children with a biological link to SZ, who were adopted into a loving family were less likely to develop SZ
  • Those adopted into a hostile family with a biological link had a 9% chance of getting SZ
  • Children adopted into a hostile family with no biological link had a 1% chance of getting SZ
• What are the strengths of the Interactionist approach?

  • Research supports it, so it has high validity
  • Can be applied to form intervention strategies, so has high external validity
  • Can combine treatments
• What are the weaknesses of the Interactionist approach?

  • Doesn’t take into account neurotransmitters
  • May not suit all patients