Representations of the parental family in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Abstract

The article presents the results of studying representations of the parental family in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The study is based on the four-aspect model of the family system developed by A.B. Kholmogorova. Research methods and stages are described. Structural and dynamic characteristics of patients' families (family representations) are analyzed. It has been shown that the family system of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders is characterized by an uneven distribution of power, weakness of the parental subsystem, existence of parent — child coalitions and a number of communicative dysfunctions. Families of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are also characterized by closed external borders and vague internal borders. These characteristics of the family are present before the manifestation of the illness, but become more pronounced after the manifestation.

Keywords

• schizophrenia
• schizophrenia spectrum disorders
• four-aspect model of the family system
• family system
• family dysfunctions
• family representations
• family structure
• family microdynamics
• family macrodynamics
• family ideology