A mental disorder or mental illness is clinically significant

associated with present distress or disability/impairment in an important area of functioning or a significantly increased risk of suffering pain, disability, death, or loss of freedom;

Syndrome

a cluster of abnormal behaviors associated with distress, disability, or increased risk of problems

Vulnerability

An adequate Model must include

How the diathesis and stressors interact

Circular or bidirectional model

Stressor

environmental contributions of risk à interact with multiple forms of vulnerability

Defining stress

circumstances or conditions that threaten challenge exceed or harm the psychological or biological capacities

Moderating processes

characteristics of the individual or the social network prior to the stressor; (temperament types, prison environment); affects (determines the strength of) the relationship but does not cause it

Mediating processes

causal; activated or set off or caused by the current stressful experience; through the mediator the IV affects the DV (it accounts for the relationship)

Scars

Child is exposed to loss that overwhelms his ability to incorporate à pessimistic explanatory style develops as he attempts to make sense of all of it à over time may become a fixed pattern

Diatheses stress models

generally refer to stressors proximal to the onset of disorder;

Diathesis =

vulnerability

Vulnerability is a

a trait; stable,(relatively permanent, enduring) in a particular person

Vulnerability and risk are not interchangeable true or false?

Risk

Additivity

Ipsative Models; most diathesis stress models

Inverse relationship between diathesis and the stressor; more of one requires less of the other to produce disease

Mega Diathesis-Stress Models

Both the diatheses and the stressor must be considerable

Static Versus Dynamic Diathesis-Stress Relationships

Relationship between the D and S can change over time

Kindling effects

·Repeated episodes of depression begin to appear with decreasing stress (in some individuals)

·Brain physiology is altered by a depressive state, resulting in heightened sensitivity

Vulnerability model developed for schizophrenia; Meehl

S submissive

H hypohedonic

A anxious

I introverted

T trauma

U unlucky events

Contemporary model;  PTSD; two types of diatheses

·Ecological variables; child abuse, cognitive distortions

·Biological; neurophysiological disregulation

Dichotomous models;

No diathesis; no disorder

a threshold

There is a point beyond which a disorder will occur

Risk-Resilience Continuum Model

Resilience / vulnerability  (highly predisposed) continuum

Resilience is not immunity;

Both genetic and developed; individual characteristics

Examples are intellectual abilities, personal attributes that elicit positive responses, competencies

Protective factors;…..

risk reducers

genetic (hypothesized)

or environmental; decrease probability of disorder; social supports; good nutrition, good pre and postnatal care,

Darwin

the capacity to be emotional, along with consciousness and signaling; crucial to survival

Discreet emotions theory; (Izard, Tomkins

there are a limited number of basic or fundamental emotions

Humans need to feel.

Motivational systems; strongly related to approach

Happiness, anger, and empathy;

Sadness, fear, shame/guilt;

withdrawal systems