Interactionist Approach - Triggers & Treatment
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 12.2.11
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) 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
- 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
- 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) 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) 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.
Test yourself on Interactionist Approach - Triggers & Treatment
Who claimed that it was perfectly reasonable to believe in biological causes of schizophrenia and still practise CBT to relieve psychological symptoms?
What are the differences between Britain's and USA's uptake of the interactionist approach to treating schizophrenia?