Diathesis stress Model

Diathesis refers to a predisposition or vulnerability for the development of a pathological state.

Diathesis-stress models argue that certain pathological states or diseases emerge from the
combination of a predisposition with stressful events (Zuckerman, 1999). Most models specify
that neither the diathesis nor stress alone is sufficient to produce the disorder. Instead, stress
activates the diathesis, which then leads to the disorder. More broadly, diathesis-stress models
are similar to the idea of risk-factors for stress-related diseases.

Diathesis
In this race, though, not everyone starts at the same place. Some people are miles and miles away
from depression, while others are very close to it. Genetics and biology determine how close you
are to the 'finish line' of depression. Someone like Gene, for example, might have a diathesis that
is very high for depression. That is, he was born with vulnerability for depression. That doesn't
mean that he will definitely get depression, only that his starting line is closer to depression than
yours or mine. Each person's diathesis for any particular mental illness is different from other
people's and can be influenced by biology or genetics. Diatheses are understood to include
genetic, biological, physiological, cognitive, and personality-related factors. Some examples of
diatheses include genetic factors, such as abnormalities in some genes or variations in multiple
genes that interact to increase vulnerability. Other diatheses include early life experiences such
as the loss of a parent. Diatheses can also be conceptualized as situational factors, such as low
socio-economic status or having a parent with depression.
Example: A female whose father had diabetes at younger age is predisposed (or vulnerable r
susceptible or at risk) to develop diabetes. Though, it is not necessarily that she will have
diabetes if lifestyle related care is taken. Contradictory to it, give negative environmental,
psychosocial state such as stress, anxiety and faulty lifestyle (junk food, high calorie food,
inactive daily routine) will work as significant stressor to leading to develop the disorder/disease
i.e. the female will develop diabetes at younger age.
Stress

It can be conceptualized as a life event that disrupts the equilibrium of a person’s life. For
instance, a person may be vulnerable to become depressed, but will not develop depression
unless he or she is exposed to a specific stress, which may trigger a depressive disorder. Stressors
can take the form of a discrete event, such the divorce of parents or a death in the family, or can
be more chronic factors such as having a long-term illness, or ongoing marital problems. Stresses
can also be related to more daily hassles such as school assignment deadlines.

It has been long recognized that stress plays a significant role in understanding how
psychopathology develops in individuals. However, psychologists have also identified that not
all individuals who are stressed, or go through stressful life events, develop a psychological
disorder. To understand this, theorists and researchers explored other factors that affect the
development of a disorder and proposed that some individuals under stress develop a disorder
and others do not. As such, some individuals are more vulnerable than others to develop a
disorder once stress has been introduced.This led to the formulation of the diathesis–stress
model.