AO3 - Family Dysfunction

• Research to support the schizophrenogenic mother theory comes from Mednick et al. They researched 207 children (high risk for developing SZ) who were raised in dysfunctional families where the mothers were cold, rejecting and emotionally unresponsive to their children’s needs. It was found that 10 years later, 17 children of this high-risk group were diagnosed with schizophrenia, this is 8%, compared to 1% of the general population and thus supporting the theory that family dysfunction can lead to schizophrenia.
• Research to support double bind communication was conducted by Berger. When asked about the interactions with their parents in childhood, it was found that schizophrenics could remember more instances of double bind communication from their mother than non-schizophrenics. This provides clear support for mixed communication in schizophrenics’ childhood and therefore supports family dysfunction as an explanation of schizophrenia.
• A strength of family dysfunction as an explanation of sz is that it has practical applications. This is because the principles of the explanation, that sz is caused by faulty family communication has led to the treatment of family therapy. This treats schizophrenia by a therapist meeting with the patient and their family in order to try and alter relationship and communication patterns. This reduces stress levels and expressed emotion and can help prevent relapse of sz, therefore family dysfunction is an important part of applied psychology as it helps to treat people in the real world.
• An alternative explanation for schizophrenia is the biological explanation. This would suggest that schizophrenia is due to hyperdopaminergia, high levels of dopamine in central areas of the brain, that are associated with symptoms of schizophrenia. For example, auditory hallucinations have been associated with high levels of dopamine around the Broca’s area rather than dysfunction within family communications, such as having a schizophrenogenic mother. Therefore, this weakens family dysfunction as an explanation of schizophrenia as it is not the sole explanation that should be considered.