The Diathesis-Stress Model

The Diathesis-Stress Model illustrates the dynamic between a diathesis and an individual's stress and how the effects of this dynamic can influence an individual's behavior. A diathesis is a person's predisposition towards developing a disorder. A predisposition towards a disorder can be caused by one or a combination of biological, psychosocial and/or sociocultural factors. (Carson,p.65) Some examples of the causes of a diathesis are genetic inheritance, biological processes such as brain abnormalities or …

…therefore, can decrease or eliminate the stressor's ability to influence their mental health. Protective factors often lead to a person developing resilience to certain stressful situations, allowing them to not be adversely affected by that particular stress. (Carson,pp65-66) There are many different models of abnormal behavior that exemplify the diathesis-stress model. Each one has a different dynamic between one's stressors and diathesis; and the influences of protective factors varies from individual to individual.