Diathesis–Stress Model

The diathesis–stress model proposes that when a person’s predisposition interacts with environmental stressors, the effect may be to trigger the onset of psychopathology. In fact, the diathesis–stress model asserts that if the combination of predisposition and stress exceeds a certain threshold, a person will be subject to poor development and/or develop a disorder. This predisposition/vulnerability may be genetic, psychological, biological, or situational. Essentially, the theory attempts to explain behavior as a product of both nature and nurture: Diathesis points to the hereditary inclination to a psychological disorder (nature) and stress to the environmental risk and life experiences (nurture). This model has been found to apply throughout the life span and for various populations. Furthermore, the conceptualization of this model highlights the idea that variables do ...