The adaptive-style theory of schizophrenic development: current research with schizophrenics.

This paper first reviews the adaptive-style theory of schizophrenia that was published in 1973 along with the evidence gathered from normal male Ss. The theory emphasized the importance of perceived maternal behaviors in the development of maladaptive social and cognitive styles for the son. The problems of interpreting data gathered from normals in terms of their implications for schizophrenic development are considered in the present paper, as well as the rules of evidence adopted for post-1973 research with mental patients bearing upon the adaptive-style theory. Theory relevance and support has required that cognitive behaviors distinguishing normal males displaying the two adaptive styles also differentiate process and reactive schizophrenics in specified ways. In addition, these differences should represent sources of vulnerability to major psychotic symptoms. Five studies into delusions and auditory hallucinations are discussed in terms of how well they support adaptive-style theory.