What does the diathesis-stress model suggest is required to produce a disorder?

What does the diathesis-stress model suggest is required to produce a disorder?

• A. Only inherited traits
• B. Environmental factors alone
• C. An inherited vulnerability and stressful conditions
• D. Purely psychological factors

Answer: (C)

The diathesis-stress model posits that mental disorders are the result of an interaction between a person's inherent vulnerabilities and external environmental stressors. This model emphasizes that individuals may have a genetic predisposition or inherited traits that increase their likelihood of developing a disorder, but these traits alone are not sufficient to trigger the disorder. In this model, stressful life events or conditions play a crucial role in exacerbating these vulnerabilities. For instance, a person with a genetic predisposition to depression might never experience depression unless faced with significant stressors, such as trauma, loss, or chronic stress. Therefore, the combination of inherent vulnerabilities and stressful conditions is essential in understanding the onset of various psychological disorders. The other options do not capture this interaction effectively, as they either rely solely on inherited traits, environmental factors, or psychological factors without acknowledging the interplay that the diathesis-stress model highlights. This integrative perspective is fundamental in explaining how disorders can manifest in individuals with certain predispositions under specific stressors.

The diathesis-stress model posits that mental disorders are the result of an interaction between a person's inherent vulnerabilities and external environmental stressors. This model emphasizes that individuals may have a genetic predisposition or inherited traits that increase their likelihood of developing a disorder, but these traits alone are not sufficient to trigger the disorder.

In this model, stressful life events or conditions play a crucial role in exacerbating these vulnerabilities. For instance, a person with a genetic predisposition to depression might never experience depression unless faced with significant stressors, such as trauma, loss, or chronic stress. Therefore, the combination of inherent vulnerabilities and stressful conditions is essential in understanding the onset of various psychological disorders.

The other options do not capture this interaction effectively, as they either rely solely on inherited traits, environmental factors, or psychological factors without acknowledging the interplay that the diathesis-stress model highlights. This integrative perspective is fundamental in explaining how disorders can manifest in individuals with certain predispositions under specific stressors.