How does the Diathesis stress model explain the development of psychological disorders? Arrange the following statements in the correct order.
A. Diathesis may make a person 'predisposed' or 'vulnerable' or at risk to develop a disorder.
B. Psychological disorders develop when a diathesis is set off by a stressful situation.
C. Presence of diathesis or some biological aberration may be inherited or developed.
D. Presence of pathogenic stressors and individual's exposure to them may actually evolve into a disorder.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → BCAD
The model is stated first, and then its three components follow in order.
(B) Psychological disorders develop when a diathesis is set off by a stressful situation. — first. This is the model itself: disorders develop when a diathesis (biological predisposition to the disorder) is set off by a stressful situation.
(C) Presence of diathesis or some biological aberration may be inherited or developed. — second. The first component is the diathesis or the presence of some biological aberration which may be inherited.
(A) Diathesis may make a person ‘predisposed’ or ‘vulnerable’ or at risk to develop a disorder. — third. The second component is that the diathesis may carry a vulnerability to develop a disorder: the person is ‘at risk’ or ‘predisposed’.
(D) Presence of pathogenic stressors and individual’s exposure to them may actually evolve into a disorder. — last. The third component is the presence of pathogenic stressors; if ‘at risk’ persons are exposed to them, their predisposition may actually evolve into a disorder.
NCERT (2025-26): “Factors Underlying Abnormal Behaviour … In addition to these models, one of the most widely accepted explanations of abnormal behaviour has been provided by the diathesis-stress model. This model states that psychological disorders develop when a diathesis (biological predisposition to the disorder) is set off by a stressful situation. This model has three components. The first is the diathesis or the presence of some biological aberration which may be inherited. The second component is that the diathesis may carry a vulnerability to develop a psychological disorder. This means that the person is ‘at risk’ or ‘predisposed’ to develop the disorder. The third component is the presence of pathogenic stressors, i.e. factors/ stressors that may lead to psychopathology. If such ‘at risk’ persons are exposed to these stressors, their predisposition may actually evolve into a disorder.…” |