PSY240H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Ego Psychology, Developmental Psychopathology, Adrenal Gland
Document Summary
Investigators prefer to speak of risk factors [variables correlated with an abnormal outcome] rather than causes. Necessary cause condition that must exist for a disorder to occur [if disorder y occurs, then cause x must have preceded it] Sufficient cause disorder is a condition that guarantees the occurrence of a disorder [if cause x occurs, then disorder y will also occur] Sufficient cause may not be a necessary cause. Contributory causes one that increases the probability of the development of a disorder but is neither necessary nor sufficient for the disorder to occur [if x occurs, then the probability of disorder y increases] Distal causal factors some causal factors occurring relatively early in life may not show their effects for many years. Proximal causal factors causal factors operate shortly before the occurrence of the symptoms of a disorder. Reinforcing contributory cause condition that tends to maintain maladaptive behaviour that is already occurring pleasant experiences may unintentionally discourage recovery.
