How do different approaches explain schizophrenia, and how can it be treated?
Schizophrenia: symptoms (positive and negative), explanations from the approaches (biological - dopamine and genetics; psychological - cognitive and family), and methods of treatment (antipsychotic drugs and psychological therapies such as CBT). One of six Component 3 behaviours.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to schizophrenia, one of the six Component 3 behaviours. Covers positive and negative symptoms, biological explanations (the dopamine hypothesis, genetics) and psychological explanations, and treatments (antipsychotic drugs and CBT), with evaluation for the Implications in the Real World paper.
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What this dot point is asking
Schizophrenia is one of the six Component 3 behaviours (you study three). You must describe its symptoms, explain it using the approaches, and describe at least one method of treatment, then evaluate and apply this.
The answer
Symptoms
Explanations
Methods of treatment
- Antipsychotic drugs. Reduce dopamine activity (typically by blocking D2 receptors), reducing positive symptoms; "typical" and "atypical" antipsychotics differ in side-effect profile.
- CBT for psychosis. Helps patients challenge and cope with delusions and hallucinations and reduce distress.
- Family therapy. Reduces high expressed emotion and improves communication.
- Combined care. Medication plus psychological therapy and social support.
Examples in context
Example 1. Why antipsychotics support the dopamine hypothesis. Drugs that block dopamine reduce positive symptoms, and drugs that increase dopamine (for example amphetamines) can produce schizophrenia-like symptoms. This circumstantial evidence supports the dopamine explanation and links explanation to treatment.
Example 2. The diathesis-stress idea. Genes may create a vulnerability (diathesis) that is triggered by stress or family environment, integrating biological and psychological explanations. This is why a combined treatment (medication plus therapy and support) is the real-world standard.
Try this
Q1. Distinguish between a positive and a negative symptom of schizophrenia. [2 marks]
- Cue. A positive symptom is an added abnormal experience (for example hallucinations or delusions); a negative symptom is the loss of a normal function (for example avolition or flat affect).
Q2. Explain the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia. [3 marks]
- Cue. Schizophrenia is associated with overactivity of dopamine (excess activity or too many D2 receptors in some brain regions), which is linked particularly to positive symptoms.
Q3. Name one treatment for schizophrenia and how it works. [2 marks]
- Cue. Antipsychotic drugs reduce dopamine activity by blocking D2 receptors, reducing positive symptoms (or CBT for psychosis helps patients challenge and cope with delusions and hallucinations).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 201910 marksDescribe one biological and one psychological explanation of schizophrenia. [10 marks]Show worked answer →
A description item testing explanations from the approaches (AO1).
Biological explanation: the dopamine hypothesis proposes that schizophrenia is associated with overactivity of the neurotransmitter dopamine (specifically excess dopamine activity or too many D2 receptors in some brain regions), linked to positive symptoms; there is also strong genetic evidence (high concordance in identical twins) and structural brain differences (for example enlarged ventricles).
Psychological explanation: cognitive explanations propose faulty information processing and abnormal beliefs underlie symptoms (for example misattributing inner speech to external voices); family explanations (such as dysfunctional communication or high expressed emotion) propose that the family environment can trigger or maintain symptoms.
Markers reward an accurate biological (dopamine/genetic) and an accurate psychological (cognitive/family) explanation.
Eduqas 202112 marksDiscuss one method of treating schizophrenia. [12 marks]Show worked answer →
A discussion item (AO1 plus AO3) reaching a judgement.
A strong answer describes one treatment, for example antipsychotic drugs (which reduce dopamine activity, typically by blocking D2 receptors, to reduce positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions), or CBT for psychosis (which helps patients challenge and cope with delusions and hallucinations and reduce distress).
It then evaluates: drugs are effective for many and allow community living, but have side effects, high relapse if stopped, and treat symptoms not causes; CBT reduces distress and improves functioning but does not cure and works best alongside medication.
It reaches a judgement: a combined approach (antipsychotics to manage symptoms plus psychological therapy and support) is generally most effective, reflecting the biological and psychological causes. Markers reward an accurate treatment, balanced evaluation and a conclusion.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCE A Level in Psychology (A290) specification — Eduqas (2015)