Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

572 CHAPTER 13 Psychological DisordersAlthough adopted children with no genetic history of schizophrenia were lessvulnerable to the psychological stresses of a disturbed family environment, they wereby no means completely immune to such influences. As Figure 13.7 shows, onethirdof the control-group adoptees developed symptoms of a serious psychologicaldisorder if they were raised in a disturbed family environment.Tienari’s study underscores the complex interaction of genetic and environmentalfactors. Clearly, children who were genetically at risk to develop schizophreniabenefited from being raised in a healthy psychological environment. Put simply, ahealthy psychological environment may counteract a person’s inherited vulnerabilityfor schizophrenia. Conversely, a psychologically unhealthy family environment canact as a catalyst for the onset of schizophrenia, especially for those individuals witha genetic history of schizophrenia (Tienari & Wahlberg, 2008).After more than a century of intensive research, schizophrenia remains a bafflingdisorder. Thus far, no single biological, psychological, or social factor has emergedas the causal agent in schizophrenia. Nevertheless, researchers are expressing greaterconfidence that the pieces of the schizophrenia puzzle are beginning to form a morecoherent picture.Even if the exact causes of schizophrenia remain elusive, there is still reason foroptimism. In the past few years, new antipsychotic drugs have been developed thatare much more effective in treating both the positive and negative symptoms ofschizophrenia (Sharif & others, 2007). In the next chapter, we’ll take a detailed lookat the different treatments and therapies for schizophrenia and other psychologicaldisorders.>> Closing ThoughtsIn this chapter, we’ve looked at the symptoms and causes of several psychologicaldisorders. We’ve seen that some of the symptoms of psychological disorders representa sharp break from normal experience. The behavior of the young woman inthe Prologue is an example of the severely disrupted functioning characteristic ofschizophrenia. In contrast, the symptoms of other psychological disorders, such asthe mood disorders, differ from normal experience primarily in their degree, intensity,and duration.Psychologists are only beginning to understand the causes of many psychologicaldisorders. The broad picture that emerges reflects a familiar theme: Biological,psychological, and social factors all contribute to the development of psychologicaldisorders. In the next chapter, we’ll look at how psychological disordersare treated.In the final section, Enhancing Well-Being with Psychology, we’ll explore one ofthe most serious consequences of psychological problems—suicide. Because peoplewho are contemplating suicide often turn to their friends before they seek help froma mental health professional, we’ll also suggest several ways in which you can help afriend who expresses suicidal intentions.