The Interactionist Approach Simplified Revision Notes for A-Level Edexcel Psychology

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12.4.2 The Interactionist Approach

The interactionist approach: the diathesis-stress model.

The diathesis-stress model explains that schizophrenia can develop when someone has a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) that interacts with stressful life events.

A person might inherit genes that make them more likely to develop schizophrenia (nature). But, it's also influenced by environmental factors (nurture), like stressful events, which can trigger these genetic factors and lead to a schizophrenic episode.

Evaluation:

(1)

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P: There is research to support the explanation

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E: For example, Tienari et al. (2004) studied children adopted from 19,000 Finnish mothers with schizophrenia by assessing the adoptive parents' child-rearing styles, comparing rates of schizophrenia in these children to a control group of adoptees without genetic risk.

Tienari found that children exposed to high levels of criticism, conflict, and low empathy in their adoptive families were more likely to develop schizophrenia, but only if they had a genetic predisposition for the disorder.

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E: This suggests that while environmental factors like parenting style can influence schizophrenia risk, genetic vulnerability plays a critical role in determining whether these environmental factors lead to the development of the disorder.

(2)

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P: The interactionist approach acknowledges both Biological and psychological factors in schizophrenia

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E: This makes it compatible with biological and psychological treatments and the model has been associated with combining CBT and antipsychotic medication.

As a result, the interactionist approach can combat the disadvantages of drug therapies and psychological therapies making it a strong and comprehensive approach.

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