Assess one non-biological theory/explanation for Schizophrenia (20 Marks).
Schizophrenia is caused and as well as causing relapse of those who were diagnosed by social
causation. There are supported risk factors that can cause schizophrenia, other than environmental or
events that may trigger it such as childhood trauma. One factor of social causation is social adversity. For
example, it explains that everyone has the same basic needs such as nutrition and warmth as well as
emotional and social needs and since people of lower socioeconomic do not have an ability to pay
treatments to sz they are most likely to retain it. In addition, families in deprived areas are prone to stress
due to unemployment and living conditions causing sz. Another factor is urbanicity. For example, Eaton
(2014) suggests that living in a city can cause more stress than living in a rural area, which leads to
schizophrenia due to a long-term exposure to stress.
One strength of the social causation is it has evidence to support the role of urban dwelling. For example,
Vassos et al (2012) performed a meta-analysis and shows a significant correlation between urban and
rural with schizophrenia risk and they found a significant link. They have found that in most urban areas
there is a 2.37 times higher risk than those in rural areas. This is important as it shows that schizophrenia
can be caused by living conditions and would be worsen due to a relative increase in population density.
However, this evidence may not be as valid since it is correlational and does not show that sz may be
caused by urbancity. For example, the social drift hypothesis explains that people diagnosed with sz tend
to find it hard to get employment, leading them to drift towards a lower social class migrating to
inner-deprived cities. This is important as it highlights that schizophrenia may cause people to move to
deprived areas and not the other way around which leaves the social causation still in question.
Furthermore, it could also be because of social isolation, Faris (1934) people who are diagnosed with
schizophrenia tend to cut ties with the outside world due to stress. This self-imposed isolation causes
them to not learn what behaviours are inappropriate or not. Lastly, immigration and minority status,
researchers found that first and second-generation immigrants are more at risk of schizophrenia. Veiling
(2008) suggest that the marginalisation of the immigrants as outgroups leave them to be vulnerable of
schizophrenia as a reaction to prejudice and discrimination they experience.
Moreover, there is one strength with Veiling's explanation is the evidence from a complete analysis of
self-reported questionnaires. For example, the study found that people classed as marginalised who has
weak national and ethnic identity, and those assimilated has strong national identity, but weak ethnic
identity are at greater risk of schizophrenia than those who have strong national and ethnic identity
(integrated). This highlights the importance of a strong ethnic identity as a protective factor against
schizophrenia.
However, evidence from twin studies show that there is a weakness of this explanation. For example,
studies on MZ and DZ twins show that the role of environment may only trigger those who are genetically
predisposed to schizophrenia, which is the diathesis-stress model. This highlights that even if social
factors may lead to schizophrenia, there is still a genetic contributor that leads to the condition.
On the other hand, social causation can be applied in the real world by helping deal with schizophrenia.
For example, housing projects are relevant as it reduces overcrowding and creates a neighbourhood
cohesion and resilience which helps the community be protected from mental breakdown. This is
important as it shows that the social causation hypothesis helps create a community-level treatment or
protection against schizophrenia and helping others in their own mental-wellbeing.
Schizophrenia is caused and as well as causing relapse of those who were diagnosed by social
causation. There are supported risk factors that can cause schizophrenia, other than environmental or
events that may trigger it such as childhood trauma. One factor of social causation is social adversity. For
example, it explains that everyone has the same basic needs such as nutrition and warmth as well as
emotional and social needs and since people of lower socioeconomic do not have an ability to pay
treatments to sz they are most likely to retain it. In addition, families in deprived areas are prone to stress
due to unemployment and living conditions causing sz. Another factor is urbanicity. For example, Eaton
(2014) suggests that living in a city can cause more stress than living in a rural area, which leads to
schizophrenia due to a long-term exposure to stress.
One strength of the social causation is it has evidence to support the role of urban dwelling. For example,
Vassos et al (2012) performed a meta-analysis and shows a significant correlation between urban and
rural with schizophrenia risk and they found a significant link. They have found that in most urban areas
there is a 2.37 times higher risk than those in rural areas. This is important as it shows that schizophrenia
can be caused by living conditions and would be worsen due to a relative increase in population density.
However, this evidence may not be as valid since it is correlational and does not show that sz may be
caused by urbancity. For example, the social drift hypothesis explains that people diagnosed with sz tend
to find it hard to get employment, leading them to drift towards a lower social class migrating to
inner-deprived cities. This is important as it highlights that schizophrenia may cause people to move to
deprived areas and not the other way around which leaves the social causation still in question.
Furthermore, it could also be because of social isolation, Faris (1934) people who are diagnosed with
schizophrenia tend to cut ties with the outside world due to stress. This self-imposed isolation causes
them to not learn what behaviours are inappropriate or not. Lastly, immigration and minority status,
researchers found that first and second-generation immigrants are more at risk of schizophrenia. Veiling
(2008) suggest that the marginalisation of the immigrants as outgroups leave them to be vulnerable of
schizophrenia as a reaction to prejudice and discrimination they experience.
Moreover, there is one strength with Veiling's explanation is the evidence from a complete analysis of
self-reported questionnaires. For example, the study found that people classed as marginalised who has
weak national and ethnic identity, and those assimilated has strong national identity, but weak ethnic
identity are at greater risk of schizophrenia than those who have strong national and ethnic identity
(integrated). This highlights the importance of a strong ethnic identity as a protective factor against
schizophrenia.
However, evidence from twin studies show that there is a weakness of this explanation. For example,
studies on MZ and DZ twins show that the role of environment may only trigger those who are genetically
predisposed to schizophrenia, which is the diathesis-stress model. This highlights that even if social
factors may lead to schizophrenia, there is still a genetic contributor that leads to the condition.
On the other hand, social causation can be applied in the real world by helping deal with schizophrenia.
For example, housing projects are relevant as it reduces overcrowding and creates a neighbourhood
cohesion and resilience which helps the community be protected from mental breakdown. This is
important as it shows that the social causation hypothesis helps create a community-level treatment or
protection against schizophrenia and helping others in their own mental-wellbeing.
