Thank you, Stephen and Scott - Your responses have helped me to hone my own thoughts on this issue.
I am happy to have learned about "The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice" serendipitously via Scott's signature. I have a paper inside me that is just waiting to find concrete expression. Looks as though I may have found an appropriate publication venue. Now, sigh, I must get back to this final stack of papers. Sandra In a message dated 12/6/2004 11:03:50 AM Eastern Standard Time, Scott Lilienfeld <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >My reading of the human literature is that the research evidence for >gene-environment interaction (in the sense of a statistical interaction, >not gene-environment "transaction," which I suspect most of us now >accept as a truism) is still fairly sparse. �In the domain of antisocial >behavior/criminality, such interactions have been detected in some, but >not all, studies, and Caspi, Moffitt, and colleagues have of course >reported widely publicized data for gene-environment interactions for >depression (although these important findings await replication). �In >other psychopathological domains (e.g., schizophrenia, alcoholism), >there is strong evidence for genetic and environmental main effects, but >still relatively little for gene-environment interactions (although such >interactions are difficult to detect because of statistical power >considerations)....Scott > >Stephen Black wrote: > >>I'll try to reply to to both Sandra's and Allen's queries together >>here: >> >>First Sandra said: >> >>"What about the "diasthesis-stress model", in which a psychological >>or physiological vulnerability interacts with environmental stressors >>to precipitate symptoms; both psychological (and most likely >>physiological, although I don't think this model specifies this >>dimensional outcome)? It seems to me that the preponderance of >>evidence supports a high degree of interaction of nature-nurture." >> >>My description of the true medical model as a procedure which uses >>symptoms to identify (diagnose) a real underlying structural cause of >>a disorder doesn't have a problem with this. Presumably the >>environmental stressors lead to structural changes in the nervous >>system which can at least potentially be identified (e.g. a decrease >>in certain neurotransmitters). �But if what is proposed is that the >>stressors lead to symptoms interpreted as causing a change in ego >>strength, then this would be an application of the quasi-medical >>model, which seeks not a real cause, but a hypothetical, metaphoric, >>and imaginary one. >> >> In addition, the application of the medical model happily co-exists >>with the behavioural model, which says that, �even in the presence of >>a particular defect in the nervous system, the form which the >>particular symptoms take and what can be done about them is >>responsive to contingencies of reinforcement and other learning >>variables. For example, Down syndrome is caused by a genetic defect, >>but outcome can be improved by effective training. >> >>In a follow-up post, Sandra then asked: >> >> � >> >>>So. . . . �is this a medical model?> >>> >>>Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Aug;174(4):463-76. Epub 2004 Apr 16. � >>>Human genetics of plasma dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity: applications to >>>research in psychiatry and neurology. >>> � � >>> >>>Some biochemical and >>>genetic studies suggest associations between low plasma or CSF DbetaH and >>>psychotic symptoms in several psychiatric disorders. >>> � � >>> >> >>Definitely. >> >>Then Allen hit me with: >> � >> >>>(a) In a mental disorder such as schizophrenia there may be (almost >>>certainly are) a number of factors, e.g., genetic propensity, occurrences >>>in the womb before birth, adverse life experiences, regular ingesting of >>>"recreational" drugs in susceptible individuals, and so on. >>> � � >>> >> >>If the working hypothesis is that these factors (genetic propensity, >>prenatal insult, adverse life experiences, drug adventures) alter the >>nervous system in ways that are at least potentially identifiable, >>then we're dealing with a use of the true medical model. If they >>cause the id to seize control of the personality, not. >> >>The point of this terminology isn't really directed at what standard >>medical investigation does, because that's pretty clear. But >>psychodynamic theorists have a whole vocabulary (e.g. >>psychopathology, mental illness, diseased mind, treating patients) >>and a procedure (observe symptoms and then reach a diagnosis of the >>underlying cause) which suggests that they're doing the same thing. >>This leads to confusion. People recognize that medicine has had >>enormous success in treatment, and if psychotherapists are doing the >>same thing, then their treatments must be equally respected. But >>they're not doing the same thing. Doctors search for real causes; >>psychotherapists search for metaphoric ones. So it's better to >>describe the procedures of psychotherapists as "quasi-medical"; that >>is, as imitating and having the superficial appearance of doing what >>doctors do, without the substance. >> >>Stephen >> >>___________________________________________________ >>Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. � � � � � �tel: �(819) 822-9600 ext 2470 >>Department of Psychology � � � � fax: �(819) 822-9661 >>Bishop's �University � � � � � � �e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Lennoxville, QC �J1M 1Z7 >>Canada >> >>Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy >>TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at >> http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm � � >>_______________________________________________ >> >> >>--- >>You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> � >> > >-- >Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D. >Associate Professor >Department of Psychology, Room 206 >Emory University >532 N. Kilgo Circle >Atlanta, Georgia 30322 > >(404) 727-1125 (phone) >(404) 727-0372 (FAX) > >Home Page: http://www.emory.edu/PSYCH/Faculty/lilienfeld.html > >The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice: > >www.srmhp.org > > >The Master in the Art of Living makes little distinction between his work and >his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and >his recreation, his love and his intellectual passions. �He hardly knows which >is which. �He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, >leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. �To him - he is >always doing both. > >- Zen Buddhist text > �(slightly modified) > > > > > > >--- >You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -- �****************************************************** � � � � Sandra M. 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