Factors Influencing The Development Of Psychopathology

Psychopathology is multifactorial wear, which stems from biological, psychological, social, and cultural processes. From a biological standpoint, recent studies denote that genetics and neuroscience established high heritability of psychiatric disorders. Meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies indicate heritability coefficients ranging from 35% for major depression to above 65% for schizophrenia, implying a considerable genetic contribution (Pettersson et al., 2019). These disorders also indicate the polygenic nature of psychiatric conditions where the genetic research has included genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which have come up with specific genetic variants for such disorders. Scientific progress in neuroscience also supports this by providing information on the structures and mechanisms of these disorders, ranging from changes in neurotransmitter systems and circuits.

Cognitive processes, emotion regulation, and developmental history are also important aspects of psychological factors in psychopathology. According to cognitive-behavioral theories, negative cognitions and behaviors play a role in causing and perpetuating psychiatric disorders (Johansson et al., 2019). Ordinarily, it can be seen that children who are raised poorly have a higher chance of developing disorders such as depression and anxiety due to emotional dysregulation. According to the developmental perspective, family experiences and attachment patterns, especially in infancy, affect future mental health. For instance, childhood adversity or trauma is known to possibly increase predisposition to different forms of psychiatric disorders possibly.

Cultural and social factors play crucial roles in both rate and manifestation of psychopathology. Culture can influence the presentation of a disorder and establish the perception and treatment of mental health problems in a society. Subsequently, factors, including socioeconomic status, social support, and life stressors, help elucidate the disparities in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in different populations (Lunansky et al., 2022). Further, cultural values and norms that regard mental abnormalities as shameful can hamper willingness to seek help and access to mental health care, which impacts the diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology.

The role of the integrative model is to help the nurse practitioner treat psychopathology. Given that psychiatric disorders are complex, a combination of factors that cover a person's biological aspect and psychological and social factors contribute to the assessment, thus allowing for improved diagnostic and treatment processes. For instance, knowing the status of the genetic makeup, mental set, and social environment of the patient benefits in developing a systematic approach to a clinical treatment process. This also assists in the effectiveness of the intervention as well as enhancing compliance with the person-centred and biopsychosocial model of delivering services to mental health patients and clients, given that mental health problems have multiple determinants.

In conclusion, psychopathology does not develop in a straight line. However, it is a process that develops from an interaction between the genetic and nervous systems, cognition and emotion, and individual and social context. One must not only realise the existence of these components but also appreciate the role each plays in diagnosing and managing the condition. Therefore, it is essential to employ the multi-faceted and comprehensive concept when training nurse practitioners, as these professionals have to identify and treat individuals with mental diseases and simultaneously take into consideration their physical and psychological conditions.

References

Johansson, V., Kuja-Halkola, R., Cannon, T. D., Hultman, C. M., & Hedman, A. M. (2019). A population-based heritability estimate of bipolar disorder–In a Swedish twin sample. Psychiatry Research, 278, 180-187. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178119303105Links to an external site.

Lunansky, G., Naberman, J., van Borkulo, C. D., Chen, C., Wang, L., & Borsboom, D. (2022). Intervening on psychopathology networks: Evaluating intervention targets through simulations. Methods, 204, 29-37. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1046202321002632Links to an external site.

Pettersson, E., Lichtenstein, P., Larsson, H., Song, J., Agrawal, A., Børglum, A. D., … & Polderman, T. J. C. (2019). Genetic influences on eight psychiatric disorders based on family data of 4 408 646 full and half-siblings, and genetic data of 333 748 cases and controls. Psychological medicine, 49(7), 1166-1173. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/genetic-influences-on-eight-psychiatric-disorders-based-on-family-data-of-4-408-646-full-and-halfsiblings-and-genetic-data-of-333-748-cases-and-controls/465FD502896ADB469A5AD89BE71C23C7Links to an external site.