Interactionist approach to Sz
AO1 BRIEF: 1 marks AO3: 1-3 marks
The interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia There is supporting research evidence for the dual role of
Aicore
acknowledges that a range of factors, including biological and vulnerability and triggers in the development of
psychological factors, are involved in the development of schizophrenia. Tienari investigated the combination of
schizophrenia. Biological factors include genetic vulnerability, genetic vulnerability and parenting style by assessing
and psychological factors like environmental stressors which adoptive parent’s child rearing styles of children with
result from life events and daily hassles. biologically schizophrenic mothers. A child rearing style
characterised by high levels of critism and conflict and low
levels of empathy was implicated in the development of
AO1 EXPLAIN: 2-4 marks
schizophrenia, but only for the children with high genetic risk
The diathesis-stress model says that both a vulnerability to and not those in the control group. This suggests that both
schizophrenia and a stress trigger are necessary in order to genetic vulnerability and family related stress are important
develop the condition. Meehl’s models in the original in the development of schizophrenia, emphasising the
diathesis-stress model was entirely genetic, the result of a usefulness of adopting an interactionist approach for Sz.
single ‘schizogene’. This led to the development of a
biologically based schizotypic personality – one characteristic AO3: 4-6 marks
being sensitivity to stress. According to Meehl, if a person
doesn’t have a schizogene then no amount of stress would Further support for the interactionist model of the
lead to schizophrenia. However, in carriers of the gene the development of schizophrenia comes from support for the
presence of a Schizophrenogenic mother for example could effectiveness of treatment combinations. This comes from
result in the development of schizophrenia. The modern studies comparing the effectiveness of biological and
understanding of diathesis is the many genes appear to psychological treatments to biological treatments alone,
increase genetic vulnerability slightly – polygenic. It is thought which found an advantage to using treatment combinations.
that trauma becomes the diathesis rather than the stressor, For example, it was found from one study that patients who
such as childhood abuse which has been found to affect many received a combination of treatments experienced lower
aspects of brain development. The modern understanding of symptom levels than those who had medication only,
stress includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia, although there was no difference in hospital readmission
such as use of cannabis which interferes with the dopamine rates. This shows that there is a clear practical advantage to
system. However, many cannabis smokers do not develop adopting an interactionist approach in the form of superior
schizophrenia so it seems that there must also be vulnerability treatment outcomes, and therefore highlights the importance
factors involved. of taking a interactionist approach.
AO1 EXPLAIN: 5-6 marks AO3: 7-9 marks
The interactionist model combines antipsychotic medication A limitation of the interactionist approach is that the original
and psychological therapies like CBT together for treating diathesis-stress model is over simplified. A single schizogene
schizophrenia. Turkington pointed out that we can still believe and schizophrenic parenting style is now known to be a
that schizophrenia has a biological basis but can use CBT to limited explanation, as it has been found that multiple genes
relieve the psychological symptoms. This combination of increase vulnerability to schizophrenia each having a small
therapies is perfectly acceptable in the UK and is regularly effect alone. As well as this, stress can come in many forms
used. However, in the USA there is more of a history of including but not limited to dysfunctional parenting.
conflict between biological and psychological models of Therefore, vulnerability and stress do not have one single
schizophrenia which may have led to slower adoption of an source. It is now believed that vulnerability can also be the
interactionist approach. Therefore, medication without result of early trauma as well as genetic make-up, and that
accompanying CBT is more common in the USA. It is unusual stress can also be biological. Therefore, this shows that the
to treat schizophrenia with CBT alone meaning that old idea of diathesis as biological and stress as psychological
psychological therapies like family therapy and token is too simple and consequently inaccurate, which is a
economy are often carried out alongside antipsychotics. problem for the old interactionist model.
AO3: 10 marks
A further limitation of the approach is that we are still not fully
aware of exactly how both vulnerability and stress produce the
symptoms of schizophrenia. This lack of understanding can
Word count: AO1: 340, AO3: 388, TOTAL: 728 therefore lead to false conclusion about the model.
, Total -
AO1 BRIEF: 1 marks AO3: 1-3 marks
The interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia There is supporting research evidence for the dual role of
Aicore
acknowledges that a range of factors, including biological and vulnerability and triggers in the development of
psychological factors, are involved in the development of schizophrenia. Tienari investigated the combination of
schizophrenia. Biological factors include genetic vulnerability, genetic vulnerability and parenting style by assessing
and psychological factors like environmental stressors which adoptive parent’s child rearing styles of children with
result from life events and daily hassles. biologically schizophrenic mothers. A child rearing style
characterised by high levels of critism and conflict and low
levels of empathy was implicated in the development of
AO1 EXPLAIN: 2-4 marks
schizophrenia, but only for the children with high genetic risk
The diathesis-stress model says that both a vulnerability to and not those in the control group. This suggests that both
schizophrenia and a stress trigger are necessary in order to genetic vulnerability and family related stress are important
develop the condition. Meehl’s models in the original in the development of schizophrenia, emphasising the
diathesis-stress model was entirely genetic, the result of a usefulness of adopting an interactionist approach for Sz.
single ‘schizogene’. This led to the development of a
biologically based schizotypic personality – one characteristic AO3: 4-6 marks
being sensitivity to stress. According to Meehl, if a person
doesn’t have a schizogene then no amount of stress would Further support for the interactionist model of the
lead to schizophrenia. However, in carriers of the gene the development of schizophrenia comes from support for the
presence of a Schizophrenogenic mother for example could effectiveness of treatment combinations. This comes from
result in the development of schizophrenia. The modern studies comparing the effectiveness of biological and
understanding of diathesis is the many genes appear to psychological treatments to biological treatments alone,
increase genetic vulnerability slightly – polygenic. It is thought which found an advantage to using treatment combinations.
that trauma becomes the diathesis rather than the stressor, For example, it was found from one study that patients who
such as childhood abuse which has been found to affect many received a combination of treatments experienced lower
aspects of brain development. The modern understanding of symptom levels than those who had medication only,
stress includes anything that risks triggering schizophrenia, although there was no difference in hospital readmission
such as use of cannabis which interferes with the dopamine rates. This shows that there is a clear practical advantage to
system. However, many cannabis smokers do not develop adopting an interactionist approach in the form of superior
schizophrenia so it seems that there must also be vulnerability treatment outcomes, and therefore highlights the importance
factors involved. of taking a interactionist approach.
AO1 EXPLAIN: 5-6 marks AO3: 7-9 marks
The interactionist model combines antipsychotic medication A limitation of the interactionist approach is that the original
and psychological therapies like CBT together for treating diathesis-stress model is over simplified. A single schizogene
schizophrenia. Turkington pointed out that we can still believe and schizophrenic parenting style is now known to be a
that schizophrenia has a biological basis but can use CBT to limited explanation, as it has been found that multiple genes
relieve the psychological symptoms. This combination of increase vulnerability to schizophrenia each having a small
therapies is perfectly acceptable in the UK and is regularly effect alone. As well as this, stress can come in many forms
used. However, in the USA there is more of a history of including but not limited to dysfunctional parenting.
conflict between biological and psychological models of Therefore, vulnerability and stress do not have one single
schizophrenia which may have led to slower adoption of an source. It is now believed that vulnerability can also be the
interactionist approach. Therefore, medication without result of early trauma as well as genetic make-up, and that
accompanying CBT is more common in the USA. It is unusual stress can also be biological. Therefore, this shows that the
to treat schizophrenia with CBT alone meaning that old idea of diathesis as biological and stress as psychological
psychological therapies like family therapy and token is too simple and consequently inaccurate, which is a
economy are often carried out alongside antipsychotics. problem for the old interactionist model.
AO3: 10 marks
A further limitation of the approach is that we are still not fully
aware of exactly how both vulnerability and stress produce the
symptoms of schizophrenia. This lack of understanding can
Word count: AO1: 340, AO3: 388, TOTAL: 728 therefore lead to false conclusion about the model.
, Total -
