Bio-genetic vs. psycho-environmental conceptions of schizophrenia and their role in perceiving patients in human terms

Abstract

Two studies addressed whether a bio-genetic (vs. psycho-environmental) perspective of schizophrenia leads mental health professionals to see a patient that was diagnosed with schizophrenia as less human. The bio-genetic vs. psycho-environmental conceptualization of schizophrenia was manipulated experimentally in Study 1 and assessed in Study 2. Participants read a case study of a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia, followed by measures of dehumanization, attitudes towards restraining and burnout (only Study 2). In both studies a bio-genetic rather than a psycho-environmental conceptualization of schizophrenia led to the person being perceived in less human terms. Moreover, results of Study 2 showed that such a conception was linked with more favorable attitudes towards restraint methods and lower burnout rates. We discuss the clinical and practical implications of our findings linking etiological beliefs of schizophrenia with the perception of patients in human terms.

Keywords:

• Mental healthcare professionals
• schizophrenia
• bio-genetic vs. psychoenvironmental etiopathology
• burnout
• dehumanization

Notes

*The research reported here is based on an unpublished master’s thesis by the first author “On the relationship between infrahumanization and conceptualizations of schizophrenia”, University of Padova, 2010/11.

1. We also aimed to investigate whether the dehumanization of a patient was mediated by a decreased sense of closeness. Since this hypothesis was not confirmed in either study, this issue will not be addressed further.