Social Psychological Explanations

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA

Family Dysfunction

• Family dysfunction, particularly communication that is inconsistent, unpredictable, hostile, or highly critical, may contribute to the development or exacerbation of schizophrenia.
• This notion is often known as expressed emotion, and research has found that high levels of expressed emotion within a family can lead to a greater likelihood of symptom relapse in individuals with schizophrenia.

Double Bind Theory

• The double bind theory by Bateson et al. suggests that schizophrenia may be caused by conflicting communication patterns in families.
• The individual is regularly trapped in situations where they are presented with conflicting messages (e.g. a mother telling her child she loves him while avoiding eye contact or showing negative body language), the so-called double binds, and can neither comment on the inconsistency nor escape the situation.
• This consistent contradictory communication that a person cannot escape may lead them to perceive their reality as highly confusing and potentially prompt schizophrenia symptoms.

Socioeconomic Factors

• Another social-psychological explanation relates to socioeconomic factors. Schizophrenia is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups.
• This may be due to the stress of poverty, urban living, minority status, or lower quality of education - all of which are known social stressors.
• Alternatively, the higher prevalence in lower social classes could be due to social drift, where those with schizophrenia drift into or remain in lower social strata due to their decreased functioning.

Labelling Theory

• According to the labelling theory, being labelled as ‘mentally ill’ can contribute to the development or perpetuation of schizophrenia.
• Once a person is labelled, they may start to act according to their label or ‘self-fulfil’ their diagnosis, causing the symptoms to become worse.
• Furthermore, the stigma and prejudice often associated with a schizophrenia diagnosis can lead to social isolation and decreased support, potentially worsening the mental health of the individual.

Importance of Social Psychological Factors

• Appreciating the social psychological factors contributing to schizophrenia enables us to understand the complex interaction between the individual’s environment and their mental health.
• Such awareness can guide the creation of more holistic, multimodal treatment approaches that not only address biological aspects of the condition, but also consider the individual’s socio-economic context, family relationships, and stigma and labelling issues.