Question
Interactionist Integration
What does the interactionist approach to schizophrenia integrate?
Answer
Integration
Biological and psychological explanations.
The core framework explaining how vulnerability and environmental factors combine to trigger the disorder.
Empirical evidence supporting the necessity of combining biological vulnerability and environmental stress.
The Interactionist Model: The interactionist model informs a more flexible and personalised approach.
What does the interactionist approach to schizophrenia integrate?
Biological and psychological explanations.
What is the diathesis in the diathesis-stress model?
A biological vulnerability or predisposition, such as genetic risk or brain abnormalities.
What does the stress component in the diathesis-stress model refer to?
Environmental triggers like trauma, drug use, or family dysfunction.
When does schizophrenia develop according to the diathesis-stress model?
When an individual with a diathesis experiences sufficient stress to exceed their coping threshold.
Name two examples of diathesis factors.
Genetic vulnerability and neurodevelopmental abnormalities from prenatal exposure to infection or malnutrition.
Name two examples of stressors that can trigger schizophrenia.
Psychological stress and high expressed emotion in families.
How does cannabis use in adolescence relate to schizophrenia risk?
It affects dopamine function and can act as a stressor increasing the risk if there is a biological vulnerability.
What does research show about the risk of schizophrenia?
High genetic risk combined with environmental stressors increases schizophrenia risk significantly.
What treatment approach is most effective for schizophrenia according to the interactionist model?
Combining medication and psychological interventions.
How does the interactionist approach influence clinical practice?
Encourages early intervention, stress reduction, and personalized treatment combining biological and environmental factors.