13.2.13

Interactionist Approach - Triggers & Treatment

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Interactionist Approach - Triggers for Schizophrenia

In the original diathesis-stress model of schizophrenia, stress was seen as psychological in nature and related to parenting. Parenting is still considered important, but there are other factors that risk triggering the disorder.

__Read et al. (2001)__

Read et al. (2001)

  • Read et al. (2001) proposed a neurodevelopmental model, in which they propose that early trauma leads to changes in the developing brain.
  • They suggest that early and significantly severe trauma (e.g. child abuse) can seriously affect many aspects of brain development. This can include over activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, which results in heightened susceptibility to stress.
Cannabis use as a trigger

Cannabis use as a trigger

  • A lot of recent research into factors triggering an episode of schizophrenia has concerned cannabis use.
  • Cannabis is thought to be a stressor because it has been found to increase the risk of schizophrenia.
  • But most people do not develop schizophrenia after smoking cannabis, so it seems there must also be one or more vulnerability factors.

Interactionist Approach - Treatments for Schizophrenia

The interactionist approach to schizophrenia advocates a combination of biological and psychological treatments.

Dual-treatment

Dual-treatment

  • The interactionist model of schizophrenia acknowledges both biological and psychological factors in schizophrenia, and so is compatible with both biological and psychological treatments.
  • In particular, the model is associated with combining antipsychotic medication and psychological therapies, most commonly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
__Turkington et al. (2006)__

Turkington et al. (2006)

  • Turkington et al. (2006) say that it is perfectly reasonable to believe in biological causes of schizophrenia and still practise CBT to relieve psychological symptoms.
  • In Britain, it is increasingly standard practice to treat patients with a combination of antipsychotic drugs and CBT.
  • In the USA, there is more conflict between psychological and biological models of schizophrenia. The USA may have been slower to adopt the interactionist approach as a result.
__Tarrier et al. (2004)__

Tarrier et al. (2004)

  • Tarrier et al. (2004) studied 315 patients who were randomly allocated to a medication plus CBT group, medication plus supportive counselling or a control group.
  • Patients in the two combination groups showed lower symptom levels than those in the control group (medication only).
  • There was no difference in rates of hospital readmission.
Jump to other topics
1

Social Influence

2

Memory

3

Attachment

4

(2026 Exams) Psychopathology

5

(2027 Exams) Clinical Psychology & Mental Health

6

Approaches in Psychology

7

Biopsychology

8

Research Methods

8.1

Research Methods

8.2

Scientific Processes

8.3

Data Handling & Analysis

8.4

Inferential Testing

9

Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

10

Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10.1

Relationships: Sexual Relationships (A2 only)

10.2

Relationships: Romantic Relationships (A2 only)

10.3

(2026 Exams) Relationships: Virtual (A2 only)

10.4

(2027 Exams) Relationships: Online (A2 only)

11

Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

12

Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

13

Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

14

Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

15

Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

16

Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

17

Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

18

Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

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