Abnormal Psychology – Trull Chapter 3: Risk and Prevention of Mental DisordersDiathesis: biological or psychological predisposition to disorder.- Diatheses are often genetic or biological, but some diatheses are psychological. o Psychological predispositions such as impulsivity increase vulnerability to disorders like alcohol abuseo The presence of stressors as well as a predisposition can produce psychological problems- Can influence a person’s perception of stress (depression cog.)- Can influence our choice of experiences and life course (Shy)- Risk factors- Diathesis-stress model integrates theoretical perspectives of mental disorder and provides information about etiology (cause), treatment, and preventiono Generic, global model that can encompass other modelsEpidemiology: the study of patterns of disease or disorder in the general population. - Incidence: the number of new cases of a mental disorder within a specific time period- Prevalence: all cases present during a specific time period (new or existing) - Prevalence rate is always higher than incidence rate - Lifetime prevalence: the proportion of those who have had a certain mental disorder at any time in their life up to the point they were assessedo Any time in one’s life - About half of American adults have had a diagnosable mental disorder, though many are not in treatment or have mild symptoms. o NCS-R study: 10,000 people 18 or older in USo 46.4% with LT dx of mental disordero Not everyone gets treatment o Different levels of severity- Levels of severity are measured by certain featureso EX: suicide attempt marking serious severity. - Comorbidity: presence of two or more disorders, and strongly implicated in the severity of mental disorder o Effects treatment - John Snow: father of epidemiology and preventiono Cholera epidemic in Londono Realized the outbreak was because of water contamination at a certain pump (Risk factor)o Stopped the pump to prevent further cases Average age of onset for a mental disorder occurs in adolescence and young adulthood, around the age of 14. Cohort effects: significant differences in disorder expression depending on demographics such as age or gender,  May be related to conditions that change over time1Abnormal Psychology – Trull  EX: increased level of diagnosis or availability of alcohol.  Generally, people who are 60+ years old as of 2005 have lower lifetime rates of anxiety, mood, or substance use disorders.Many people eventually seek treatment for a mental disorder but many delay treatment for several years.- Of those with anxiety, mood, or substance use disorders, 41.1% sought treatment in the past year- On average from the time of symptom onset to treatment was 10+ yearsRisk factor: an individual or environmental characteristic that precedes a mental disorder and is correlated with thatdisorder- Include:o Age o Education o Employmento Gendero Marital status o Race and Ethnicity- Some risk factors are associated with race and ethnicity include body concerns and phobias being more common among African Americans than whites, while depression is less likely- In addition, Latino youth experience more anxiety-related and delinquency problems. - Risk factors must precede onset of the problem - Can be fixed (gender) or dynamic (social support) - Identification of risk factors can help with prevention and with treatment2Protective factors are associated with lower risk of mental disorder. Protective factors are the flip side of risk factors– they indicate lower risk of mental disorder.- Individualo Positive temperamento Above average intelligence o Social competence o Spirituality or religion- Familyo Smaller family structureo Supportive relationships o Good sibling relationshipso Adequate monitoring and rule-setting by parents- Community or Socialo Commitment to schools o Availability of health and social services o Social cohesionResilience: the ability to withstand and rise above extreme adversity and may protect people from developing mental disorder.- Exampleso PTSD (9/11)- Resiliency factors o Good social and academic competenceo Good social supporto Spirituality and religion Video: a man with a traumatic childhood is able to pull his life together to become a doctor at age 28, with the helpof a mentor.Prevention: stopping or slowing the development of later problems and guides many mental health programs. - Prevention can be viewed along a continuum with treatment and maintenance.- Use risk and protective factors to identify people who may need help before major problems developo Reduce risk factors o Enhance protective factors - Three major types of preventiono Primary prevention: providing intervention to people with no signs of a particular disorder.  EX: billboards to wear seatbelts  Wellness programs on campus for the general public  Universal prevention o Secondary prevention: addressing manageable problems before they become more resistant to treatment.  EX: Alcohol awareness for those who have been in trouble or have some trouble controlling drinking – “at risk group” Selective preventiono Tertiary prevention: reducing the duration and negative effects of a mental disorder after its onset. EX: diagnosed with alcohol use disorder o Indicated prevention: hybrid of secondary and tertiary  Not a problem yet but might need intervention Examples of prevention programs: Prevention programs created at universities to prevent excessive use of alcohol use primary/universal methods, targeting incoming freshmen, for example.  Signs of Suicide is a prevention program that educates students about how to recognize the signs of suicide in their peers as well as