To understand how disorders develop we need a conceptual framework to understand the disorder. The Diathesis-stress model is one of the more recent model that give us a way of understanding disorders, the model is also called the Epigenetic model. The Model proposes that people have a genetic tendency for a behavioral trait inherited from their parents that is activated under certain environmental conditions. In the textbook Abnormal Psychology: An Integrated Approach written by Barlow and Durand an example is provided of a girl who had “blood-injury-injection phobia”. This girl never had any episodes of fainting or becoming nauseated at the sight of blood or of any other injury, until she was unintentionally forced to watch a video of an animal dissection. This environmental trigger activated the gene expression which altered her behavior. Henceforward, at the mere mention of a cut or blood she would faint. The Barlow and Durand go on to say that if this girl had never taken a biology course the gene expression (diathesis) caused by an environmental trigger would have never happened and she would have gone through her life without knowing of her own tendency for swooning at the sight of blood.
This model allows us to understand how twins possessing identical genetic makeup could in one circumstance develop a disorder and not in the other. Separated at birth, parents divorce, one twin is kidnapped and raised by his captors, there are many possibilities in which twins could be separated and raised in two different environments thus exposing one twin to certain environmental triggers and not to the other. Therefore, one twin experiencing different environment triggers could develop a disorder like clinical depression and the other twin experiencing a different environment could not. According to this model it would all be determined by the environment and the genetic tendencies inherited by that person’s parents.
1. We have all genetics tendencies based on inheritance for certain resiliencies and vulnerabilities
2. However, you can't blame it all on Genes. Environment has a powerful role in shaping us.
3. Predispositions do not remove responsibility or the power of choice, but they do make it harder.
4. The past influences the present, but it does not determine the future.
5. Biology is not destiny- change is possible, but you have to learn new ways of being.
5 Things about How MH Dxs Develop
2. However, you can't blame it all on Genes. Environment has a powerful role in shaping us.
3. Predispositions do not remove responsibility or the power of choice, but they do make it harder.
4. The past influences the present, but it does not determine the future.
5. Biology is not destiny- change is possible, but you have to learn new ways of being.
Reference
Barlow, David H. & Durand, V. Mark (2008). Abnormal Psychology: An Integrated Approach, CengageNOW™
