SZ 04 Family dysfunction (a) Psychodynamic explanations

Explain the theory of the schizophrenogenic mother (3)

•Schizophrenogenic mother is cold, rejecting and uncaring

•Creates a family environment that is tense and secretive

•Creates distrust, which leads to paranoid delusions

Explain the double bind theory of schizophrenia (4)

•Child receives mixed messages which are hard to interpret

•See world as confusing and dangerous, and become distrustful

•The confusion leads to disorganised thinking

•The distrust leads to paranoid delusions

Identify the evidence for psychodynamic explanations of schizophrenia (2)

•Reports from case studies of SZ patients...

*... about their childhood

Explain the problem of small sample size in relation to the evidence for psychodynamic explanations of schizophrenia (2)

* Case studies not generalisable

* Limited / unrepresentative evidence base

Explain the problem of subjectivity in relation to the evidence for psychodynamic explanations of schizophrenia (2)

* Subjective interpretation / bias

* Interviews can be conducted / interpreted to get supporting results