Diathesis Stress (DS)

The diathesis–stress model is a psychological theory that attempts to explain behavior as a predispositional vulnerability together with stress from life experiences. The use of term diathesis in the fields of medicine and psychiatry dates back to the 1800s; however, the diathesis–stress model was not introduced and utilized to describe the development of psychopathology until it was used to explain schizophrenia in the 1960s.This model is used in many fields of psychology, specifically for studying the development of psychopathology. It is useful for the purposes of understanding the interplay of nature and nurture in the susceptibility to psychological disorders throughout the lifespan.