Family Dysfunction

•  Support  Read reviewed 46 studies of child abuse and schizophrenia and concluded that 69% of adult female and 59% of adult male in-patients with a diagnosis of Sz had a history of physical abuse, sexual abuse or both in childhood. Berger found that schizophrenics recalled a higher number of double bind incidences by their mothers than non-schizophrenics. 
• Unreliable -  Liem measured patterns of parental communication in families with a schizophrenic child and found no difference when compared to normal families. Information about childhood experiences is usually gathered retrospectively after the development of symptoms.  It may be that the illness distorts patients’ recall of their childhood experiences. 
• Socially sensitive as blames the family for causing Sz. No evidence for Schizophrogenic mother or double bind. / No cause and effect -the family dysfunction may be caused by child’s disturbing behavior (caused by the Schizophrenia) rather than family dysfunction causing the Sz.