Response to 2 discussion
Daveena Hardwick-Gibson
May 28 8:40pm
Manage Discussion by Daveena Hardwick-Gibson
Reply from Daveena Hardwick-Gibson
Mental health disorders, also called psychopathology, develop through a combination of biological, psychological, and social influences. These different areas interact in complex ways, which means mental illness usually doesn’t have just one cause. Understanding this helps mental health providers offer better care that fits each person’s needs.
From a biological perspective, genetics and brain function play a key role. Some people inherit a higher risk of developing mental illnesses. Boland, Verduin, and Ruiz (2022) report that “twin studies suggest a heritability estimate of approximately 80% for schizophrenia” (p. 508). Additionally, problems with brain chemicals like dopamine or serotonin, or changes in brain areas like the frontal lobe, can affect thinking, mood, and behavior. As Jackson and Milberg (2018) explain, “frontal lobe dysfunction has been linked to difficulties in executive function, which are common in many psychiatric disorders” (p. 68).
Psychological factors include how people think, feel, and behave. Negative thinking patterns, poor coping skills, and learned behaviors can contribute to issues like depression and anxiety. Boland et al. (2022) highlight that these patterns can become automatic, making them hard to change without support. Development also matters—children who experience trauma, neglect, or instability are at greater risk for mental health problems. Masten and Kalstabakken (2018) point out that “children exposed to early adversity are at increased risk for a range of psychological disorders” (p. 20), showing how early life experiences shape mental health later on.
Social and cultural factors also influence mental illness. People from different cultures may express or understand mental health symptoms in unique ways. For example, Boland et al. (2022) write, “Somatization is often a culturally shaped way to express psychological distress” (p. 492), which means people might feel physical pain instead of emotional symptoms. Other social stressors, like poverty, discrimination, or lack of support, can make symptoms worse. Cheung and Mak (2018) explain that “stigma associated with mental illness remains one of the major barriers to seeking help in many Asian cultures” (p. 130), which shows how social pressures can prevent people from getting needed care.
In conclusion, psychopathology is shaped by many factors working together. Biological traits, personal thoughts and experiences, and the social world all contribute to mental health. A complete understanding of these influences allows professionals to create better, more personalized treatment plans.
References:
Cheung, F. M., & Mak, W. W. S. (2018). Sociocultural factors in psychopathology. In J. N. Butcher & J. M. Hooley (Eds.),
APA handbook of psychopathology: Psychopathology: Understanding, assessing, and treating adult mental disorders (Vol. 1, pp. 127–147). American Psychological Association.
Jackson, C. E., & Milberg, W. P. (2018). Examination of neurological and neuropsychological features in psychopathology. In J. N. Butcher & J. M. Hooley (Eds.),
APA handbook of psychopathology: Psychopathology: Understanding, assessing, and treating adult mental disorders (Vol. 1, pp. 65–90). American Psychological Association.
Masten, A. S., & Kalstabakken, A. W. (2018). Developmental perspectives on psychopathology in children and adolescents. In J. N. Butcher & P. C. Kendall (Eds.),
APA handbook of psychopathology: Child and adolescent psychopathology (Vol. 2, pp. 15–36). American Psychological Association.
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Manage Discussion by Jessica Barnette
Discussion Main Post
Psychopathology refers to a collective study of mental disorders known to be mental illness. There are several aspects that can influence the development of psychopathology and include biological, psychological, and social and cultural factors. As a provider, it is important to learn the various influences and factors as a nurse practitioner to create an appropriate treatment plan.
Biological Factors
Biological factors include an individual’s genetics and neurobiology. Andreassen et al. (2023) explains genetics variants in an individual may act to increase the risk for developing a psychiatric disorder. This means that an individual with multiple gene variants may lead to an increased risk for developing mental illness such as schizophrenia. Additionally, an individual with family members with mental illness, may increase the hereditary risk for genetic influence on illnesses such as ADD, bipolar, alcoholism, and schizophrenia. Psychiatric disorders also share genetic influences with a range of behavioral and somatic traits and diseases, including brain structures, cognitive function, immunological phenotypes and cardiovascular disease, suggesting shared genetic etiology of potential clinical importance (Andreassen et al., 2023). The neurobiology includes the development and function of neurotransmitters and pathways. For example, an alteration in the balance of norepinephrine and serotonin may lead to depression.
Psychological Factors
Another set of factors include the emotional, developmental, and cognitive and behavioral processes. Individuals and children grow in various environments. A child that is not able to learn to regulate their emotions may have a hard time managing anger or anxiety as they get older. The lack of ability to manage stress in a healthy manner, may lead to unhealthy coping, such as substance use. Childhood trauma may influence and create emotional damage, depression, flashbacks, and post-traumatic stress. Cognitive and behavioral factors, such as negative self-talk, can influence psychopathology. Mental health development in infancy and early childhood includes the dynamics of the infants’ inborn capacities and the progressive integration of physiological and emotional influences, as well as the attentional and cognitive stimulation (Ammitzboll et al., 2024).
Social, Cultural, and Interpersonal Factors
Kirkbride et al. (2024) discusses an individual’s surrounding environment can also influence psychophysiology, such as poverty, can lead to increased stress, which can lead to increased risk for mental illness like anxiety or depression. Social interaction can have an effect at an early age, such as baby bonding can sooth an infant and the lack of nurture may have an opposite effect. An individual’s culture may not acknowledge or accept mental illness, which will also affect treatment and management of the disease. Culture encompasses an individual’s beliefs, practices, and traditions. Interpersonal factors include relationships between individuals. Radzilini (2024) explains interpersonal relationships, such as marriages and friendships, can be healthy or unhealthy and affect mental illness. For example, a marriage that consist of chronic tension or betrayal, may lead to increased risk for anxiety or depression due to conflict.
Resources
Ammitzboll, J., Olsen, A., Landorph, S., Ritz, C., & Skovgaard. (2024). Regulatory problems and developmental psychopathology within the first 2 years of living-a nested in cohort population-based study.
Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 3.
to an external site.
Andreassen, O., Hindley, G., Frei, O., & Smeland, O. (2023). New insights from the last decade of research in psychiatric genetics: Discoveries, challenges and clinical implications.
World Psychiatry: Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA),
22(1), 4–24.
to an external site.
Kirkbride, J., Anglin, D., Colman, I., Dykxhoorn, J., Jones, P., Patalay, P., Pitman, A., Soneson, E., Steare, T., Wright, T., & Griffiths, S. (2024). The social determinants of mental health and disorder: Evidence, prevention and recommendations.
World Psychiatry: Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA),
23(1), 58–90.
Radzilani, M. (2024). The effects of interpersonal relationships on mental health.
International Journal of Social Impact, 9(2). DOI: 10.25215/2455/0902011
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