13.2.2
Evaluation of Family-Based Explanations
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Studies of Family-Based Explanations
There is little evidence for family-based explanations of schizophrenia, even though there is considerable evidence to support the principle that adverse childhood experiences within the family are associated with adult schizophrenia.

Berry et al. (2008)
- There is evidence that suggests that difficult family relations in childhood are associated with increased risk of schizophrenia in adulthood.
- Berry et al. (2008) found that adult schizophrenia patients are more likely to display insecure attachments to their primary caregiver.

Read et al. (2005)
- Read et al. (2005) carried out a review of 46 studies of child abuse and schizophrenia.
- They concluded that 69% of adult women in-patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia had a history of physical abuse, sexual abuse or both in childhood.
- The figure was 59% in men.

Tienari et al. (2004)
- A small number of studies have been carried out prospectively by studying individuals with a higher risk of developing schizophrenia, such as a family history of the illness.
- Tienari et al. (2004) found higher rates of schizophrenia in an adopted high-risk group compared to controls.
Evaluation - Studies of Family-Based Explanations
There is little evidence for family-based explanations of schizophrenia, even though there is considerable evidence to support the principle that adverse childhood experiences within the family are associated with adult schizophrenia.

Low validity of findings
- In many of these research studies, information about childhood experiences was collected after the development of symptoms.
- These symptoms might have distorted parents' recollections of childhood experiences because of the stress of raising a child with the illness.
- This reduces the validity of the findings.

Weaknesses of clinical observation
- There is also little evidential support for the schizophrenogenic mother proposed in double-bind theory.
- Many of these theories are based on clinical observations that suggest parents are to blame for the illness.
- The modern mental health community has wholly rejected this proposition about parents.

Weakness of prospective studies
- Prospective studies investigating family dysfunction and schizophrenia, like Tienari et al. (2004), are small in number and their results are often inconsistent.
1Social Influence
1.1Social Influence
2Memory
2.1Memory
3Attachment
3.1Attachment
4(2026 Exams) Psychopathology
4.1Psychopathology
5(2027 Exams) Clinical Psychology & Mental Health
5.1Clinical Psychology & Mental Health
6Approaches in Psychology
6.1Approaches in Psychology
6.2Comparison of Approaches (A2 only)
7Biopsychology
7.1Biopsychology
8Research Methods
8.1Research Methods
8.2Scientific Processes
8.3Data Handling & Analysis
9Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)
9.1Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)
10Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)
10.1Relationships: Sexual Relationships (A2 only)
10.2Relationships: Romantic Relationships (A2 only)
10.3(2026 Exams) Relationships: Virtual (A2 only)
10.4(2027 Exams) Relationships: Online (A2 only)
11Option 1: Gender (A2 only)
11.1(2026 Exams) Gender (A2 only)
11.2(2027 Exams) Gender (A2 only)
12Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)
12.1Cognition & Development (A2 only)
13Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)
13.1Schizophrenia: Diagnosis (A2 only)
13.2Schizophrenia: Treatment (A2 only)
14Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)
14.1Eating Behaviour (A2 only)
15Option 2: Stress (A2 only)
15.1Stress (A2 only)
16Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)
16.1Aggression: Physiological (A2 only)
16.2Aggression: Social Psychological (A2 only)
17Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)
17.1Forensic Psychology (A2 only)
18Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)
18.1Addiction (A2 only)
18.2Treating Addiction (A2 only)
Jump to other topics
1Social Influence
1.1Social Influence
2Memory
2.1Memory
3Attachment
3.1Attachment
4(2026 Exams) Psychopathology
4.1Psychopathology
5(2027 Exams) Clinical Psychology & Mental Health
5.1Clinical Psychology & Mental Health
6Approaches in Psychology
6.1Approaches in Psychology
6.2Comparison of Approaches (A2 only)
7Biopsychology
7.1Biopsychology
8Research Methods
8.1Research Methods
8.2Scientific Processes
8.3Data Handling & Analysis
9Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)
9.1Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)
10Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)
10.1Relationships: Sexual Relationships (A2 only)
10.2Relationships: Romantic Relationships (A2 only)
10.3(2026 Exams) Relationships: Virtual (A2 only)
10.4(2027 Exams) Relationships: Online (A2 only)
11Option 1: Gender (A2 only)
11.1(2026 Exams) Gender (A2 only)
11.2(2027 Exams) Gender (A2 only)
12Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)
12.1Cognition & Development (A2 only)
13Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)
13.1Schizophrenia: Diagnosis (A2 only)
13.2Schizophrenia: Treatment (A2 only)
14Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)
14.1Eating Behaviour (A2 only)
15Option 2: Stress (A2 only)
15.1Stress (A2 only)
16Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)
16.1Aggression: Physiological (A2 only)
16.2Aggression: Social Psychological (A2 only)
17Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)
17.1Forensic Psychology (A2 only)
18Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)
18.1Addiction (A2 only)
18.2Treating Addiction (A2 only)
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