The diathesis-stress model
The diathesis-stress model says schizophrenia develops when a biological vulnerability combines with environmental stress. Neither factor alone is enough to cause the disorder.
Real World
A person carrying the COMT gene variant (higher dopamine risk) may never develop schizophrenia until they experience a traumatic event like bereavement — illustrating that the diathesis alone is insufficient without the stressor.
Exam Focus
Distinguish diathesis (vulnerability) from stress (trigger) clearly; examiners penalise conflating the two components.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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