The diathesis–stress model is a psychological theory that attempts to explain behavior as a result of genetic (or more broadly developmental) vulnerability (the meaning of the Greek word διάθεσις diathesis) together with stress from life experiences.
This model thus assumes that the onset of a certain disorder (or at least episodes of a disorder) results from a combination of one's biological disposition towards the given disorder (or rather traits that may lead to disorders) and stressful events that bring about the onset of a disorder. The term "diathesis" can refer specifically to a genetic predisposition toward an abnormal or diseased condition, but has been more broadly defined as a vulnerability arising out of early child development. According to the model, this predisposition, in combination with certain kinds of environmental stress, results in abnormal conditions. This theory is often applied to mental disorders, originally schizophrenia and also sometimes major depression, and anxiety disorders including post traumatic stress disorder.
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The diathesis concept has a long history in medical terminology.[1] The word diathesis derives from the ancient Greek idea of disposition[2] here. This word was related to the humor (body fluids) theory of temperament and disease.[3] The peculiar terminology diathesis-stress was used by psychologists Manfred Bleuler and David Rosenthal in the 1960s with the development of new theories about schizophrenia.[4]
In the diathesis–stress model, a biological or genetic vulnerability or predisposition (diathesis) interacts with the environment and life events (stressors) to trigger behaviors or psychological disorders. The underlying dynamic within the model between the diathesis and the stress components is not clear. For some authors, it is likely to be additive or ipsative (e.g. the greater the underlying vulnerability, the less stress is needed to trigger the behavior or disorder; and conversely); but other views hold that high levels of both stress and diathesis are needed, or that diatheses are changed under high stress to allow further less stressful events to stress sufficiently the diathesis and trigger the onset of the disease.[5]
This model has stimulated research on the common stressors that people with disorders such as schizophrenia may be vulnerable to, and how they may be protected against or managed. A stress–vulnerability–protective factors model may enable mental health workers, family members, and clients to create a personal profile of a person's vulnerabilities (the diathesis), what hurts (the stressors), and what helps (the protective factors).
There are various theories that postulate genetic predispositions interacting with early development to shape personality and subsequent response to stress, for example with regard to aggression and violence, although they do not necessarily use the term "diathesis-stress" and may be more broadly considered models of gene-environment interaction or evolutionary psychology.[6].