Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCriticismElements of the Stress-Vulnerability ModelProtective Factors

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Criticism

Elements of the Stress-Vulnerability Model

Protective Factors

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After its initial introduction to the mental health world, the model extended to include a broad range ofpsychiatric diagnoses.

Read on to learn more about the vulnerability stress model, some criticism it has received, the impactstresscan have on us, and ways to boost protective factors to fight against stress.

Criticism of the Stress-Vulnerability Model

While the Stress-Vulnerability Model has been instrumental in helping us better understand psychiatric ailments, it hasn’t been without its critics.

The Term ‘Vulnerability’ Is Limiting

A 2022 article published inFrontiers in Sociologyfound the model’s focus on vulnerability to be disempowering. Noting the nearly 50 years that have passed since the model was introduced, the article found the model’s emphasis on vulnerability to be a distraction from the actual harm at hand.

ExampleFor example, if one’s form of stress isabuseat the hands of caregivers, simply removing the caregivers will not solve the issue of stress as a key vulnerability. Instead, there must be support from individuals who understand the needs of someone who has experiencedabuse.

Example

For example, if one’s form of stress isabuseat the hands of caregivers, simply removing the caregivers will not solve the issue of stress as a key vulnerability. Instead, there must be support from individuals who understand the needs of someone who has experiencedabuse.

What Are the Elements of the Stress-Vulnerability Model?

According to the Stress-Vulnerability Model, biological vulnerability and stressors are responsible for developing a psychiatric disorder.Then, protective factors are what can help reduce biological vulnerability and stress.

Elements of the Stress-Vulnerability ModelBiological VulnerabilityStressProtective Factors

Biological VulnerabilityStressProtective Factors

Biological Vulnerability

Biological vulnerability refers to one’s genetic predisposition. For example,bipolar disorderis known to have a genetic link and is often passed down in families.

Stress

While stress can contribute to developing a mental health disorder, it isn’t the only factor at play. For example, someone may already have ageneticpredisposition to a mental health disorder, but they have not developed it yet.

Therefore, if a person is genetically predisposed to a mental health condition, a major life event or a series of stressful events can trigger the onset of a mental health disorder.

Examples of these life stressors include:

When this significant life crisis occurs, some of the disorder’s symptoms can emerge. However, remember that the probability of this depends on the type of psychiatric condition the person is predisposed to.

Epigenetics

Another example of how epigenetics can play a part in the stress vulnerability model comes from a study on major affective disorder. In this study, it was found that the triggers causing an episode plus the actual episode itself can lead to further vulnerabilities that then contribute to future episodes.Simply put, when our genes are initially weakened, then they are more vulnerable moving forward.

Again, it is important to remember that gene expressions can be shifted. Just because we experienced stress while in utero or because we have come from an oppressed lineage does not mean we are destined to be sick.Protective factors are immensely helpful in ensuring that we are not limited based on our genes.

Protective factors are critical in reducing both stress and biological vulnerability.

Protective factors can include:

How to Boost Protective Factors

Decreasing stress is a great way to minimize your vulnerability to developing severe ailments. However, this may seem challenging while living in an already complicated world. Rather than solely focusing on reducing stress, let’s consider how you can build upon your protective factors:

A Word From Verywell

If you’re experiencing stress or trauma, please know that you are not alone. Amental health professionalcan help support you in your healing process.

18 Effective Stress Relief Strategies

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Demke E.The vulnerability-stress-model—holding up the construct of the faulty individual in the light of challenges to the medical model of mental distress.Front Sociol. 2022;7:833987. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.833987Goh C, Agius M.The stress-vulnerability model how does stress impact on mental illness at the level of the brain and what are the consequences?.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(2):198-202.Pruessner M, Iyer SN, Faridi K, Joober R, Malla AK.Stress and protective factors in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis, first episode psychosis and healthy controls.Schizophr Res. 2011;129(1):29-35. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2011.03.022O’Connell KS, Coombes BJ.Genetic contributions to bipolar disorder: current status and future directions.Psychol Med. 51(13):2156-2167. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001252Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is Epigenetics?Post RM.Transduction of psychosocial stress into the neurobiology of recurrent affective disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1992;149(8):999-1010.Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry.2018;17(3):243-257.Post RM.The epigenetic connection to black disparity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;82(3).Hankerson SH, Moise N, Wilson D, et al.The intergenerational impact of structural racism and cumulative trauma on depression.AJP. 2022;179(6):434-440.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Demke E.The vulnerability-stress-model—holding up the construct of the faulty individual in the light of challenges to the medical model of mental distress.Front Sociol. 2022;7:833987. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.833987Goh C, Agius M.The stress-vulnerability model how does stress impact on mental illness at the level of the brain and what are the consequences?.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(2):198-202.Pruessner M, Iyer SN, Faridi K, Joober R, Malla AK.Stress and protective factors in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis, first episode psychosis and healthy controls.Schizophr Res. 2011;129(1):29-35. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2011.03.022O’Connell KS, Coombes BJ.Genetic contributions to bipolar disorder: current status and future directions.Psychol Med. 51(13):2156-2167. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001252Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is Epigenetics?Post RM.Transduction of psychosocial stress into the neurobiology of recurrent affective disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1992;149(8):999-1010.Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry.2018;17(3):243-257.Post RM.The epigenetic connection to black disparity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;82(3).Hankerson SH, Moise N, Wilson D, et al.The intergenerational impact of structural racism and cumulative trauma on depression.AJP. 2022;179(6):434-440.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Demke E.The vulnerability-stress-model—holding up the construct of the faulty individual in the light of challenges to the medical model of mental distress.Front Sociol. 2022;7:833987. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.833987Goh C, Agius M.The stress-vulnerability model how does stress impact on mental illness at the level of the brain and what are the consequences?.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(2):198-202.Pruessner M, Iyer SN, Faridi K, Joober R, Malla AK.Stress and protective factors in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis, first episode psychosis and healthy controls.Schizophr Res. 2011;129(1):29-35. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2011.03.022O’Connell KS, Coombes BJ.Genetic contributions to bipolar disorder: current status and future directions.Psychol Med. 51(13):2156-2167. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001252Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is Epigenetics?Post RM.Transduction of psychosocial stress into the neurobiology of recurrent affective disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1992;149(8):999-1010.Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry.2018;17(3):243-257.Post RM.The epigenetic connection to black disparity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;82(3).Hankerson SH, Moise N, Wilson D, et al.The intergenerational impact of structural racism and cumulative trauma on depression.AJP. 2022;179(6):434-440.

Demke E.The vulnerability-stress-model—holding up the construct of the faulty individual in the light of challenges to the medical model of mental distress.Front Sociol. 2022;7:833987. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.833987

Goh C, Agius M.The stress-vulnerability model how does stress impact on mental illness at the level of the brain and what are the consequences?.Psychiatr Danub. 2010;22(2):198-202.

Pruessner M, Iyer SN, Faridi K, Joober R, Malla AK.Stress and protective factors in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis, first episode psychosis and healthy controls.Schizophr Res. 2011;129(1):29-35. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2011.03.022

O’Connell KS, Coombes BJ.Genetic contributions to bipolar disorder: current status and future directions.Psychol Med. 51(13):2156-2167. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721001252

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is Epigenetics?

Post RM.Transduction of psychosocial stress into the neurobiology of recurrent affective disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1992;149(8):999-1010.

Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry.2018;17(3):243-257.

Post RM.The epigenetic connection to black disparity.J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;82(3).

Hankerson SH, Moise N, Wilson D, et al.The intergenerational impact of structural racism and cumulative trauma on depression.AJP. 2022;179(6):434-440.

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