Family Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
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Questions and Answers

In individuals with schizophrenia, increased activity in the temporal lobe is most likely associated with which cognitive process?

  • Difficulties in naming the ink color of conflicting color words.
  • Reduced blood flow in the frontal cortex.
  • Deficits in central control.
  • Auditory hallucinations due to misinterpretation of memories. (correct)

    • What do the results of the Stroop Test suggest about individuals with schizophrenia?

  • They have deficits in central control during cognitive processing. (correct)
  • They experience reduced activity in the temporal lobe.
  • They exhibit increased blood flow in the frontal cortex.
  • They are quicker at naming the ink color of conflicting color words.

    • Which of the following best describes a bidirectional effect in the context of schizophrenia and family dysfunction?

  • Family dysfunction is solely a result of schizophrenia.
  • Family therapy is ineffective due to bidirectional effects.
  • Family dysfunction can both contribute to and result from the individual's behavior. (correct)
  • Family dysfunction is solely a cause of schizophrenia.

    • Why might the family dysfunction theory of schizophrenia be considered ethically problematic?

    <p>It places undue blame on families, potentially causing additional stress. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the implication of Gottesman's evidence regarding the genetic basis of schizophrenia?

    <p>Individuals have a predisposition to schizophrenia due to biological factors. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the 'schizophrenogenic mother' concept, which parental dynamic is most likely to contribute to the development of schizophrenia in a child?

    <p>A mother who is cold and controlling, paired with a passive father. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best illustrates the 'double bind' communication pattern that may contribute to schizophrenia?

    <p>A parent telling a child they love them while simultaneously pushing them away physically. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of 'high expressed emotion' (EE) in families, as it relates to individuals with schizophrenia?

    <p>Excessive caregiving involvement, criticism, and hostility. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An adopted child with a biological parent with schizophrenia is raised in a psychologically healthy family. Based on the research discussed, what is the most likely outcome for the child regarding the development of schizophrenia?

    <p>The child is less likely to develop schizophrenia compared to those raised in unhealthy families, but still has a higher risk than the general population. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does a 'faulty attention system' contribute to the experience of hallucinations and delusions in individuals with schizophrenia?

    <p>By failing to filter preconscious thoughts, causing an overload of irrelevant information. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difficulty associated with 'lack of central control' in individuals with schizophrenia?

    <p>Inability to inhibit impulsive actions and speech. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An individual with schizophrenia believes that their thoughts are being inserted into their mind by an external force. Which cognitive explanation best accounts for this delusion?

    <p>Meta-representation Issues (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Hemsley's schema dysfunction theory, what is the core problem in schizophrenia?

    <p>A breakdown in the connection between new sensory information and existing mental frameworks. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Auditory Hallucinations

    False perceptions of sounds that occur without external stimuli, often linked to misinterpreting memories.

    Frontal Cortex Blood Flow

    Reduced blood flow in the frontal cortex is associated with negative symptoms like avolition in schizophrenia patients.

    Stroop Test Results

    Patients with schizophrenia take longer than controls to name ink colors, indicating cognitive processing deficits.

    Family Therapy Impact

    Family therapy is effective, suggesting that family dysfunction can play a role in schizophrenia treatment.

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    Genetic Predisposition

    Evidence indicates a genetic basis for schizophrenia, pointing to biological factors like neurotransmitter imbalances.

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    Schizophrenogenic Mother

    A mother's cold, rejecting behavior may contribute to schizophrenia in the child.

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    Double Bind Theory

    Conflicting messages from parents can confuse a child and lead to schizophrenia.

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    Expressed Emotion

    High expressed emotion refers to criticism and controlling behaviors by caregivers, linked to relapse in schizophrenia.

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    Tienari's Study

    Adopted children of schizophrenic mothers are likelier to develop schizophrenia based on family environment.

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    Faulty Attention System

    Schizophrenia leads to an inability to filter irrelevant thoughts, causing hallucinations and delusions.

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    Lack of Central Control

    Individuals struggle to suppress impulsive actions and speech, resulting in confusion.

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    Meta-representation Issues

    Impaired self-reflection can cause individuals to misattribute their thoughts to external sources.

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    Schema Dysfunction (Hemsley)

    Breakdown in connecting new information to existing mental shortcuts can occur in schizophrenia.

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    Study Notes

    Family Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

    • Schizophrenogenic Mother: A theory suggesting a cold, rejecting, and controlling mother, alongside a passive father, can contribute to schizophrenia's development. Stressful upbringing can lead to psychotic thinking, like paranoid delusions.
    • Double Bind Theory: Contradictory messages from caregivers can cause confusion, potentially leading to schizophrenia. Inconsistent expectations (e.g., independence vs. overprotection) can result in disorganized thinking and paranoia.
    • Expressed Emotion: A measure of caregiver attitude towards a person with schizophrenia. High expressed emotion includes excessive involvement, criticism, control, and hostility.
      • Butzlaff and Hooley's meta-analysis (27 studies) linked high expressed emotion with a higher risk of relapse in schizophrenia.
      • Tienari's study showed adopted children of biologically schizophrenic mothers had a significantly higher chance (36.8%) of developing schizophrenia if raised in unhealthy families, compared to healthy families (5.8%). This highlights the environmental impact.
      • The 5.8% rate in healthy families is considerably above the general population's 1%, suggesting a complex interaction between genetics and environment.

    Cognitive Explanations

    • Faulty Attention System: The attention system in schizophrenia struggles to filter irrelevant thoughts, leading to overloaded conscious thought, explaining hallucinations and delusions.
    • Lack of Central Control: Difficulty inhibiting impulses and speech, causing confusion and difficulty explaining actions, contributing to speech derailment.
    • Meta-representation Issues: Impaired self-reflection can lead to attributing thoughts/actions to external forces.
    • Schema Dysfunction (Hemsley): Breakdown in connecting new information to existing schemas, leading to confusion, misinterpreting old memories as new experiences, contributing to auditory hallucinations.

    Cognitive Evidence

    • Brain Imaging (Firth): PET scans showed reduced frontal cortex blood flow in patients with negative symptoms (like avolition) and increased temporal lobe activity (memory retrieval) in patients with reality distortion.
    • Stroop Test (Stirling): Schizophrenia patients took significantly longer than controls on the Stroop Test, indicating deficits in central control.

    Evaluation

    • Family Therapy Success: Family therapy's proven effectiveness supports the role of family dysfunction in schizophrenia.
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) Success: CBTp's effectiveness reinforces the significance of cognitive processes in schizophrenia.
    • Ethical Concerns: The family dysfunction theory can inadvertently blame families, adding stress to those already struggling.
    • Bidirectional Effects: Family dysfunction might not only cause but also result from the individual's behaviors.
    • Genetic Predisposition: Gottesman and others highlight a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia, emphasizing biological factors like neurotransmitter imbalances.
    • Interaction of Biological and Psychological Causes: Schizophrenia likely involves both biological and psychological factors.

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    Description

    Explore the impact of family dynamics on the onset of schizophrenia through various theories. Learn about the Schizophrenogenic Mother theory, the Double Bind Theory, and the concept of Expressed Emotion. This quiz will delve into how these familial influences contribute to psychosis and disorganized thinking.

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