Reconstructing Schizophrenia

Despite nearly one hundred years of research, very little progress has been achieved in the understanding of schizophrenic behavior. Although it is widely believed that schizophrenic symptoms reflect an underlying biological disorder, the evidence for such a disorder remains disputed and many different biological defects have been implicated. There remains considerable uncertainty even about the fundamental features of the hypothesized illness. Reconstructing Schizophreniasubjects the difficult concept of schizophrenia to rigorous scientific, historical, and sociological scrutiny. The contributors, who are all psychologists with considerable research and clinical experience in the field of adult psychopathology, examine the concept of schizophrenia, ask why a biological defect has been assumed in the absence of hard evidence and look at what can be done psychologically to alleviate schizophrenic symptoms. Finally, they explore what new models and research strategies are requiredin order to understand schizophrenic behavior. The result is a book that provides a distinctive and critical perspective on modern psychiatric theories and which demonstrates the severe limitations of an exclusively medical approach to understanding madness.

Preface. PART ONE: THE CONCEPT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA - PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS 1. The Non-Discovery of Schizophrenia - Kraepelin and Bleuler reconsidered Dr. Mary Boyle 2. The Syndromes and Symptoms of Psychosis Dr. Richard P. Bentall . 3. Schizophrenia as a Life Process Dr. Peter Barham and Robert Hayward . PART TWO: THE ROLE OF BIOLOGY IN SCHIZOPHRENIC BEHAVIOUR. 4. The Genetics of Schizophrenia - Axiom or hypothesis? Richard Marshall 5. Are There Biologial Markers of Schizophrenia? Dr. Howard F. Jackson 6. Can a Disease Model of Schizophrenia Survive? Dr. Gordon Claridge 7. Longitudinal Research on Schizophrenia Professor Peter H. Venables . PART THREE: FROM THEORY TO THERAPY. 8. Competing Histories of Madness - Some Implications for Modern Psychiatry Dr. David Pilgrim 9. The Behavioural and Cognitive Treatment of Psychotic Symptoms Dr. Peter D. Slade 10. The Family Management of Schizophrenia Dr. Nick Tarrier CONCLUDING REMARKS: Schizophrenia - a Suitable Case for Treatment? Index