Psychological Explanations of Schizophrenia - Family Explanation

BATESON ET AL - DOUBLE BIND THEORY

Children who recieve contradictory messages from parents more likely to develop schizophrenia.

Prolonged exposure to contradictory messages prevents developmet of internally coherent construction of reality

Resulting in flattening effect, delusions and hallucinations

BERGER

Found schizophrenics reported high recall of double bind statements by their mothers than control

However, unreliable as patients recall may be affected by schizophrenia.

MISCHLER AND WAXLER

Found significant differences in the ways in which parents spoke to their schizophrenic daughters in comparison to their 'normal' daughters.

Suggests that dysfunctional communication may be a result of living with the schizophrenic rather than the cause of schizophrenia its self cause/effect.

ETHICAL ISSUES

Blaming the family - little evidence for this

Gender bias - mother mostly blamed

Research doesnt protect individuals from harm

EE

Negative emotional climate, or high degree of expressed emotion associated with schizophrenia

EE - a family communication style that involves criticism, hostility and emotional over-involvement

LINSZEN ET AL

A patient returning to high EE family are 4 times more likely to relapse

WHY?

Negative emotional climate seems to arounse patient 

Stress beyond his/her already impaired coping mechanisms

HOGARTY

produced a type of therapy sessions which reduses social conflicts between parents and their children

This reduces EE and thus relape rate

Suggests that gaining insight into family relationships allows psychiatrists to help improve quality of patients life.

the end