Models of Schizophrenia Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the HPA axis in the biological model?

Manages emotional responses only during sleep

Regulates cognitive processing

Enhances social interactions

Regulates the stress response in the body (correct)

How does the reactivity of the HPA axis differ among individuals?

All individuals respond equally to stressors

Individual reactivity is irrelevant to psychological health

All individuals with high reactivity will experience the same symptoms

Some need larger threats to react physically (correct)

What negative pattern can result from a highly reactive HPA axis?

Improved coping mechanisms over time

Enhanced ability to deal with stressors

Consistent emotional stability

Downward spiral of increasing stress responses and damage (correct)

What can a person experience if they have a highly reactive HPA axis in response to stress?

Severe physical reactions like racing heart and muscle tension Signup and view all the answers

What implications does a highly reactive HPA axis have for future stressors in an individual?

It can lead to an increased risk of experiencing more life stress Signup and view all the answers

What is one outcome for children who have difficulty picking up social cues?

They may become sensitive to illusory cues Signup and view all the answers

How does the cognitive-behavioral model describe the relationship between a person's experiences and their social isolation?

Disconnection worsens social isolation Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the hypotheses of the Downward Drift Theory?

Schizophrenia can lead to poverty Signup and view all the answers

What factor significantly correlates with the risk of schizophrenia according to the sociocultural model?

Income level Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the labeling effect in the context of mental illness?

It improves individuals' self-perception in most cases Signup and view all the answers

How does discrimination influence the health outcomes for individuals according to the sociocultural model?

It can exacerbate mental health issues Signup and view all the answers

Why might African Americans have a higher risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia?

Discrimination in healthcare may play a role Signup and view all the answers

What did Zimbardo refer to the cognitive-behavioral model of schizophrenia as, highlighting its rationale?

A rational path to madness Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of the labeling effect on individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia?

Greater risk for abuse Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is NOT associated with increasing the diathesis to schizophrenia?

High academic achievement Signup and view all the answers

According to the diathesis-stress model, which sequence reflects the development of schizophrenia?

Genetic predisposition leads to stress then unusual behaviors Signup and view all the answers

How do psychiatrists perceive patients with schizophrenia in relation to patients with other mental health disorders?

They are seen as more dangerous Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'diathesis' in the diathesis-stress model specifically refer to?

A vulnerability to negative impacts from life changes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between stress and social isolation according to the diathesis-stress model?

Social isolation can exacerbate unusual thoughts and behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential result when a person experiences severe life stress as per the diathesis-stress model?

Activation of unusual behaviors or thought patterns Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a misconception regarding the diathesis-stress model and its relation to schizophrenia?

It assumes that stress is a sole cause of schizophrenia Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Overview of Models for Schizophrenia

Biological Model: Includes the HPA Axis, which regulates stress responses, cognitive-behavioral model, social cues and social withdrawal, sociocultural model, downward drift theory, labeling effect, developmental psychopathology, and diathesis-stress model.

Biological Model

HPA Axis: Regulates stress responses by increasing activation in the body during times of threat. Reactivity varies.
Highly Reactive HPA Axis: People with this experience racing heart, flushed skin, and muscle tension in response to even slight threats.
Stress and HPA Axis Impact: Individuals with highly reactive HPA axes may show damage to the HPA axis from strong reactions to stress, and their threat response may worsen. Further stressing factors may occur from ongoing, strong reactions.
Genetic Risk and Schizophrenia: Genetic factors play a substantial role in the risk of developing schizophrenia, shown in a study including data for various degrees of relatives.

Cognitive-Behavioral Model

Humans are taught to be sensitive to social cues and respond accordingly.
Social Cues and Errors: Some individuals may have a difficult time picking up social cues, these cues may be frequently misleading, leading to association with other stimuli.
Disconnected Experiences: An individual's disconnected experiences can worsen social isolation, which then compounds the disconnected experience.
Hallucinations/Delusions: They experience sensory experiences that do not align with reality (hallucinations). They may develop delusions to make sense of negative reactions to the hallucinations. Social isolation increases as beliefs become more unreal.

Sociocultural Model

Poverty: A strong negative correlation exists between income and schizophrenia risk.
Downward Drift Theory:
a) Schizophrenia Causes Poverty: Increases possible risk of job loss, homelessness, and dysfunction, and lack of social support.
b) Poverty Causes Schizophrenia: Increases the life stress, magnifies threats to well-being, and reduces coping resources.
Race: African Americans have approximately a 67% higher risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to European Americans.
Labeling Effect: The impact of diagnoses of mental illness can influence self-concept and well-being; initially, this response may be positive, but over time, social isolation and mistrust increase due to the diagnosis.
Everyday Language: The casual use of terms like "schizophrenic" influences the experience and treatment of the individual.
Trust in Patients: Even psychiatrists may have less trust in patients with schizophrenia compared to those with other mental illnesses.

Developmental Psychopathology

Diathesis-Stress Model: Schizophrenia is a result of genetic risk factors and severe life stressors.
Genetic Risk: Inherited predisposition
Stress: Severe life stressors

Diathesis-Stress Model (Continued)

Vulnerability (diathesis): This means vulnerability to negative impacts from life changes.
A list of factors that may increase diathesis includes: Poverty, discrimination, in vitro exposure to viruses, highly reactive HPA axes, and poor training in social skills. The stressors contribute to resulting thoughts and behaviors.

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Description

Explore the various models of schizophrenia including biological, cognitive-behavioral, sociocultural, and more. Understand the role of the HPA axis in stress regulation and its implications for schizophrenia. This quiz covers genetic risk factors and their impact on the disorder.