A family with schizophrenic offspring : a study of social interaction

Author

Joshua Williams

Date of Award

6-1983

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major Professor

Harold J. Fine

Committee Members

Bob Wahler, Anne McIntyre, Jack Byrne, Tom Cruthirds

Abstract

The purpose of this study was threefold in nature. An effort was made to partially replicate earlier work which utilized the written product analysis of the Consensus Roschach as a measure of disordered communication in families with schizophrenic offspring. An effort was also made to establish this measure's reliability across time. In addition, the question of generalization across situations was addressed.

The primary means and procedures used in data collection for this study involved the repeated administration of the Consensus Rorschach in conjunction with non-obtrusive home observations made with audio tape recordings.

The theoretical underpinnings of this study drew heavily from the seminal work of Wynne, etal., and their considerations of pseudo-mutuality in families with schizophrenic offspring.

Results obtained through this research provide material for a descriptive analysis of the communicationa1 styles of both a normal family and a family with schizophrenic offspring. The schizophrenic family was observed to be lodged in a highly inflexible and maladaptive mode of interactions which appeared to yield chaos both on the structured Rorschach task and in the non-structured home environment. These behaviors closely approximated those previously labeled as pseudo-mutual by Wynne, et al. The normal family was seen to have a highly flexible and thus more adaptive style of interaction on the Consensus Rorschach.

This study suggests that the use of the Consensus Rorschach and naturalistic home observation either in concert with one another or independent of one another hold great promise for researchers concerned with the interactional and communicational styles of families with schizophrenic offspring.

Recommended Citation

Williams, Joshua, "A family with schizophrenic offspring : a study of social interaction. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1983.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/12989