Lillian, raised by a single mother who suffered from terrible depression and was often hospitalized, has, herself, often struggled.After a semester filled with academic and interpersonal problems, Lillian is diagnosed with major depression.What model of stress does this best illustrate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lillian's diagnosis of major depression following significant life stressors suggests the diathesis stress model, which suggests that individuals have a predisposition (or diathesis) towards developing mental health problems in response to external stressors. In this case, Lillian's family history of depression may have contributed to her increased susceptibility to depression in response to stress. The general adaptation model and life events model do not account for individual predisposition, while the cognitive transactional model places greater emphasis on an individual's appraisal of stressors rather than their inherent vulnerability to mental health problems.

Lillian, Raised by a Single Mother Who Suffered from Terrible