Risk Factors and Causes

of Abnormal Behaviour
NECESSARY, SUFFICIENT
AND CONTRIBUTORY
CAUSES
NECESSARY CAUSE
A necessary cause is something that must be present
in order for a certain outcome to occur, but its
presence alone doesn't guarantee that outcome.
For example, in the context of abnormal behavior, a
genetic predisposition to a certain mental disorder
might be a necessary cause. However, having this
genetic predisposition doesn't guarantee that the
individual will develop the disorder; other factors are
also at play.
SUFFICIENT CAUSE
Sufficient cause is something that, if present, guarantees the
occurrence of a certain outcome. It is enough to produce the
result on its own.
For instance, traumatic life events or severe stressors can be
sufficient causes for triggering abnormal behavior in some
individuals.
If these events occur, they might lead to the development of
abnormal behaviors without requiring any additional factors.
CONTRIBUTORY CAUSE
A contributory cause is one that increases the probability of a
disorder developing but is neither necessary nor sufficient for the
disorder to occur.

More generally, if X occurs, then the probability of Y occurring

increases.

Certain examples of contributory causes: Genetic predisposition,

childhood adversity, environmental stressors, social isolation
and, parenting styles.
 Factors Based on Time Frame

Distal risk Proximal Reinforcing

factors risk factors risk factors
 • Distal risk factors are factors that are

Distal more distant in time from the

development of a disorder.

Risk
• They are often early life experiences
or characteristics that increase the
vulnerability to developing

Factor
psychopathology later in life.
• These factors set the stage for
potential future issues.
 • Proximal risk factors are factors
that are more immediate in time
and are directly linked to the onset
or exacerbation of
psychopathological symptoms.
Proximal • These factors are closer in time to
the occurrence of the disorder.
Risk Factor
 Reinforcing risk factors are factors
that perpetuate or worsen existing
psychopathological symptoms.
Reinforcing They maintain or increase the
severity of the disorder once it has
Risk Factor already developed.
Feedback and bi-directionality in Abnormal behavior

In the study of people's behavior (behavioral sciences), things get more complicated.

There are many factors that interact with each other, and it can be hard to tell what's
causing what.

This is because the effects of something happening can influence the things that caused
them in the first place. In other words, the effects can loop back and affect the causes.

So, we have to consider the fact that effects can create feedback, and that there are often
two-way influences where things affect each other in both directions.
Examples

Now, let's talk about how effects can loop

Another example is the relationship
back to affect causes. Imagine a person is
between self-esteem and academic
stressed due to work pressure (X causing
performance. High self-esteem (X) might
Y). But that stress can also impact their
lead to better grades (Y), but good grades
sleep (Y causing Z). So, now lack of sleep
(Y) can also boost self-esteem (X) because
(Z) becomes a new factor that influences
the person feels successful. Here, the
the original cause, work pressure (X). This
effects (good grades) are looping back to
creates a feedback loop where one thing
influence the causes (self-esteem), creating
affects another, and it's not always clear
a two-way connection.
which one started it all.
Diathesis-Stress Model
Many mental disorders are believed to develop when someone who has a pre-
existing vulnerability for that disorder, experiences a major stressor. Models
describing this kind of situation are commonly known as diathesis–stress models of
abnormal behavior.

A vulnerability, or diathesis, is a predisposition toward developing a

disorder that can derive from biological, psychological, or sociocultural
causal factors.

Stress, the response or experience of an individual to demands that he or

she perceives as taxing or exceeding his or her personal resources.
The diathesis results from one or more
relatively distal necessary or
contributory causes but is generally not
sufficient to cause the disorder.

There must be a more proximal factor

(the stressor), which may also be
contributory or necessary but is generally
not sufficient by itself to cause the
disorder except in someone with the
diathesis.
The Additive model.
The diathesis and the
In other words,
Researchers have stress sum together, individuals who have a
and when one is high
proposed several the other can be low,
high level of a diathesis
may need only a small
different ways in and vice versa. Thus, amount of stress before
which a diathesis a person with no a disorder develops, but
and stress may diathesis or a very those who have a very
low level of diathesis low level of a diathesis
combine to may need to experience
could still develop a
produce a disorder when faced a large amount of stress
disorder. with truly severe
for a disorder to
develop.
stress.
Protective Factors
Protective factors decrease the likelihood of negative
outcomes among those at risk.

Protective factor is not simply the absence of a risk factor,

but instead is something that actively buffers against the
likelihood of a negative outcome among those with some
risk factor.

Protective factors are not necessarily positive experiences.

Indeed, sometimes exposure to stressful experiences that
are dealt with successfully can promote a sense of self-
confidence or self-esteem and thereby serve as a
protective factor.
Resilience
Protective factors most often, but not always, lead to
resilience—the ability to adapt successfully to even very
difficult circumstances.
An example is the child who perseveres and does well in
school despite his or her parent’s drug addiction or
physical abuse. More generally, the term resilience has
been used to describe the phenomenon that…

“some individuals have a relatively good outcome despite

suffering risk experiences that would be expected to bring
about serious sequelae”
Beyond the
book…
Bio-Psycho-Socio-
Cultural Matrix
End of Presentation