AQA SCHIZOPHRENIA SPEC

Written By Rebecca Sylvia

SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECIFICATION


  • Classification of schizophrenia. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations and delusions. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia include speech poverty and avolition.

  • Reliability and validity in diagnosis and classification of schizophrenia, including reference to co-morbidity, culture and gender bias and symptom overlap.

  • Biological explanations for schizophrenia: genetics and neural correlates, including the dopamine hypothesis.

  • Psychological explanations for schizophrenia: family dysfunction and cognitive explanations, including dysfunctional thought processing.

  • Drug therapy: typical and atypical antipsychotics.

  • Cognitive behaviour therapy and family therapy as used in the treatment of schizophrenia. Token economies as used in the management of schizophrenia.

  • The importance of an interactionist approach in explaining and treating schizophrenia; the diathesis-stress model.

  • Assessment and examination questions

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder explored in the AQA A-level Psychology syllabus. The specification covers its classification, including positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions, and negative symptoms such as avolition and speech poverty. It examines biological explanations, including genetic and neural factors, psychological explanations like family dysfunction and cognitive deficits, and therapeutic approaches, such as drug therapy, CBT, and family therapy. The interactionist approach, including the diathesis-stress model, integrates genetic and environmental factors, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding schizophrenia.

Rebecca Sylvia

I am a Londoner with over 30 years of experience teaching psychology at A-Level, IB, and undergraduate levels. Throughout my career, I’ve taught in more than 40 establishments across the UK and internationally, including Spain, Lithuania, and Cyprus. My teaching has been consistently recognised for its high success rates, and I’ve also worked as a consultant in education, supporting institutions in delivering exceptional psychology programmes.

I’ve written various psychology materials and articles, focusing on making complex concepts accessible to students and educators. In addition to teaching, I’ve published peer-reviewed research in the field of eating disorders.

My career began after earning a degree in Psychology and a master’s in Cognitive Neuroscience. Over the years, I’ve combined my academic foundation with hands-on teaching and leadership roles, including serving as Head of Social Sciences.

Outside of my professional life, I have two children and enjoy a variety of interests, including skiing, hiking, playing backgammon, and podcasting. These pursuits keep me curious, active, and grounded—qualities I bring into my teaching and consultancy work. My personal and professional goals include inspiring curiosity about human behaviour, supporting educators, and helping students achieve their full potential.

https://psychstory.co.uk
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