Differential Susceptibility Theory (DST) in Psychopathology

Differential Susceptibility Theory (DST) in Psychopathology Future Directions for research: What makes the Differential Susceptibility approach appealing to Psychopathology and Wellbeing researchers alike? The Differential Susceptibility Theory (DST) has attracted a huge amount of research in recent years from researchers in the field of wellbeing and psychopathology for a variety of reasons. This essay will examine both the dominant diathesis-stress model and DST and highlight how the knowledge of DST can improve wellbeing and reduce psychopathology. It has been widely demonstrated by decades of research that health and developmental disorders are more prevalent among people from high-risk families (Luthar, 2006; Boyce, 2007; Shonkoff, Boyce, McEwen, 2009). Studies abound to demonstrate that childhood physical, emotional abuse and neglect impair development from lack of concentration to aggression, fighting, stealing, truanting and antisocial activities (Wayne, 1989). There is however a prominent variation in the physical health and psychological adjustment of both children and adults who experienced both high and low degrees of adversity (Luthar, 2006; Masten Obradovic, 2006). The dominant theory that accounts for the above phenomenon is the diathesis-stress/dual risk model, which emphasizes vulnerability to environment. It postulates that psychopathology develops as a result of an interaction between due to vulnerabilities/diatheses (temperamental, biological, and/or behavioural characteristics) in a particular person and environmental stress (Monroe Simmons, 1991). Hence, an individual facing great environmental stress will not need to have many underlying vulnerabilities to develop psychopathology. The same outcome can be true for an individual with greater vulnerabilities but a minor stressful event (Ingram Luxton, 2005). On the other hand, DST emphasizes developmental plasticity- individual differences in neurobiological susceptibility to environmental factors (Belsky, 2005). Belsky (2005) postulates that plasticity functions in a for-better-and-for-worse manner: more â€Å"plastic† individuals experience more positive outcomes in positive environments as well as more negative outcomes in aversive environments. DST has received support from many studies. Boyce et al.’s (1995) study on biological reactivity and environmental adversities as predictors of respiratory conditions in children aged between 3 and 5 yields a credible result. The study found that highly biologically reactive children who were exposed to childcare or home environments of high adversity experienced substantially higher illness than other children while highly biologically reactive children who experienced lower adversity conditions (better supportive childcare) experienced the lowest illness rates. More recent studies come from Hankin et al.’s (2011) three different studies that investigated the 5-HTTLPR genotype in 1,874 children and adolescents (between 9- and 15-year-old) and how the degree of supportive or unsupportive parenting may influence their behaviours. Hankin et al. (2011) found that the ‘homozygous for the functional short allele of 5-HTTLPR were more responsive to parenting as environmental context in a â€Å"for better and worse† manner’, that genetically susceptible youth whose parents were unsupportive displayed low levels of positive affect while genetically susceptible youth who experienced supportive parenting displayed higher levels of positive affect. There are a variety of reasons why researchers of well-being and psychopathology find DST appealing. The most significant difference between DST and the dominant diathesis-stress model is that the latter do not consider the effects of a positive environment. This is because it is of the view that there is no significant difference in how vulnerable or resilient groups respond to enriched supportive or environmental conditions (Belsky Pluess, 2009). Consequently, many studies only focus on adversity and its absence (e.g., maltreatment vs. no maltreatment) and do not measure the complete range of environments. Neither do they consider the complete range of psychological/behavioural functioning (just maladjustment and its absence, e.g., depressed vs. not depressed). In addition, DST may help researchers to elucidate the defining characteristics of resilience. Under the diathesis-stress model, children with particular attributes such as positive temperament and do not suffer expected detrimental effects of negative environments are defined as resilient (Cicchetti, 1993; Luthar, 2006). However, DST argues that these children could seem resilient because they are just not very â€Å"plastic† or malleable. If this is indeed true, these children would therefore be very unlikely to benefit from highly supportive rearing environments should they be provided with them (Belsky Pluess, 2009b). As such, DST extends the diathesis-stress model by drawing focus on investigating how personal characteristics moderate the effects of positive environmental contexts on positive well-being. One additional advantage of DST is that it offers a new advancement in the treatment of psychopathology. There is great potential in screening patients for intervention on the basis of neurobiological susceptibility (Ellis et al., 2011). DST predicts varying sizes of intervention effects across participants, depending on both the â€Å"plasticity† of individuals and the mode of intervention. Many experimental interventions on parenting and child care have confirmed the above prediction (e.g., Bakermans-Kranenburg, van IJzendoorn, Mesman, Alink, Juffer, 2008; Cassidy et al., 2011). Furthermore, current evidence does not strongly support the case that some people are completely not susceptible to the positive effects of any intervention. As such, it would be better to understand neurobiological susceptibility as a continuous dimension rather than categorically (susceptible vs not susceptible). Caspi et al.’s (2003) G x E study showed that those homozygous for the short s erotonin-transporter allele suffered most from stressful life events, those homozygous for the long allele suffered the least while heterozygotes (carrying one short and one long allele) fell in between. The above knowledge could help inform the design of treatment policies and programs tailored to the specific needs of people with differing â€Å"plasticity†. Despite the exciting promise of DST, it is important to note that it is a relatively new theory in need of much future research to shed light on many areas. Owing to the length constraint of this essay, only a few notable areas will be discussed. Firstly, it is currently unclear how differential susceptibility is regulated by neurobiological (genotypic, endophenotypic, and behavioral) mechanisms (Ellis et al., 2011). Future research on the relationships between the different levels of mechanisms would help to greatly shape programs and interventions to benefit patients of different â€Å"plasticity†. Secondly, future research should focus on elucidating how for better and for worse processes unfold. For example, it could be possible that neurobiologically susceptible children are better at detecting and capitalizing on positive opportunities (e.g., taking advice from a teacher, forging strong friendships) to achieve positive outcomes in supportive environments. Such knowledge would once again help to shape intervention programs. For example, interventors can specifically highlight positive opportunities mentioned above to neurobiologically susceptible children from adverse environments that are recently provided with more positive environments. In conclusion, this essay has explored the main features of DST and shown how understanding DST is crucial in understanding how to prevent psychopathology and improve wellbeing. Further studies, however, are required to bridge the existing gaps in this field.

Equality and Diversity Essay

This essay examines the key factors that influence inclusive learning and teaching in the lifelong learning sector. Teaching methods will vary according to what you want to get out of the session, what the learners are able to achieve within the time frame, what materials and resources are available, what you are teaching, the needs of the learners and your personal style. This could be formal, informal or a mixture of both. Formal teaching methods include lecturers, demonstrations and presentations. Informal teaching includes discussions, group work and practical activities. As I will be teaching within the Beauty Therapy my lessons would be a mixture of both these delivery methods. Each activity within the classroom will consist of teaching and learning activities which are balanced to meet the different needs of my learners. Blended learning incorporates both traditional and computer based methods. This is commonly referred to as Information learning technology (ICT) this use of computer based technology to enhance teaching methods and resources or develop learner autonomy is widely promoted. The other main teaching methods other than ICT I am opting to use are lecturers and demonstrations. These demonstrations are very important as it would show the students the beauty routine that we would expect them to follow within their practical sessions. This ensures that students will be working to the same standard and will also adhere to the requirements of the awarding body. Practical sessions also help to explain difficult parts of the task when verbal exposition in not enough. I would also use group work activities, these particularly suit kinaesthetic learners but also when you have a group consisting of various abilities it allows both weak and strong learners to work collectively. Question and Answer sessions will be most commonly used in my tutorials. If I was teaching for example ‘the bones and muscles of the body) I would ask students to identify where muscles are on the body to help promote learning. At the start of the course the approach I will use to facilitate inclusive learning will be to carry out an initial assessment. This will help me identify what type of learners they are, I would then plan my teaching sessions to meet these individual needs by using a mix of visual, auditory, kinaesthetic teaching and learning strategies. For example I had just completed a practical demonstration to my group on ‘a facial routine’, I wanted to make sure my learners could confidently work in pairs and practice this routine on each other. A task like this would suit the kinaesthetic because he/she is provided with an opportunity to do and learn, and for the visual learner I would produce a step by step illustrated hand-out to support the routine. The Equality Act 2010 outlines protective characteristics which promote equality within schools and colleges and prevent discrimination. This includes sexuality, sex, disability, marital status and religion. In order to promote equality in my classroom I will need to respond positively to the diverse needs of all learners. Effective communication with learners is essential and it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that learners understand appropriate vocabulary and terminology and that comments are not discriminatory or offensive. As a teacher I would keep language simple so that if I have a learner from different backgrounds they may not have the same level of English as British learners. Resources used such as hand-outs, assignments and work sheets will also aim to promote equality and diversity. For example I would produce worksheets in a gender free language and also aim to promote multiculturalism by producing scenario based worksheets that use names from various ethnic backgrounds. I would also pace my sessions so students have plenty of time to take notes and ask any questions. Although inclusion is about supporting learners’ needs. It is not always possible for teachers to do this without support themselves. All teachers should be aware of the limits of their own responsibility and know when and where to access support for learners. you will not be able to get students to solve all their own difficulties. Get to know and use your institutions student services or pastoral support system: it exists to support your students, and you, so do refer where it is appropriate† Petty 2004 There are many places of referral within education; these can be both internal within the education establishment or an external organisation. The internal places of referral may inc lude student support services, learner study support centre, and counselling and careers advice. If I had a student for example who needed help with writing their essay I would arrange for them to go to the learner study support centre who would be able to assist Learners with learning difficulties or disabilities may need additional support and may need a designated support worker to support them within the classroom. A learner with dyslexia may find it hard to read text or numbers or have difficulty with writing and spelling, therefore I would produce written hand-outs and allow learners with dyslexia to present their ideas verbally or tape notes if necessary. Political correctness is a commonly used term at the moment and is used to ensure that expressions do not cause offence to any particular group of people. There are also many external agencies where learners can be referred, and which agency they are referred to would depend on the individual’s needs of the learner. This may include health related issues, family difficulties, poor attendance, or repeated challenging behaviour. The purpose of referring a learner to an external support agency is to support an individual student and to help them overcome their difficulties which are impacting on their education. For example if I had a student who was constantly disruptive in class and had a record of aggressive behaviour I would refer them to the Pupil Referral Unit. They would help and encourage the learner to be involved in the learning process, but in a smaller environment where they be in a much smaller group (3-4 learners) and also receive one-to-one support. Functional skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICT can be easily integrated into my lessons. These activities will meet both literacy and numeracy standards but are more easily understood by the learner. An example of this would be an assignment covering salon duties. I would ask the students to produce a sales ledger for stock to be re-ordered from our supplier. This would include maths as the student would have to calculate the cost of goods and also the total value of the order, it would include English as the student needs to produce the document and ICT as the student would have to present it in a typed format. The best way to establish ground rules with my learners is to negotiate them. The rules should be appropriate and fair and agreed as a whole class. As a teacher, I would establish ground rules during the first session, and plan a short activity around this. The class could discuss what is expected of them and write the rules in small groups. I would also list a few ground rules and then negotiate them as a class. This gives all learners the opportunity to be included and involved and as they have decided on the rules they are also more likely to respect them. When establishing ground rules it is important to ensure they are clear and brief and start positively rather than with ‘do not’. Once the rules have been established I would ask the learners to write them on some flipchart paper and hang them up in the class so that they are visible to all. It is also important to reinforce the rules consistently and to phrase learners when rules have been adhered to. I feel this method would motivate learners and also model good behaviour. Some rules may not be able to be negotiated. For example when the students come into class they must be wearing their salon uniforms and hair must be tied back. As a teacher even though I have designed my lessons to meet everyone’s needs I still need to ensure that my learners are motivated and want to learn. Maslow (1970) argues that basic needs such a food, safety, love and belonging and self-esteem need to be met in order for them to achieve their goals and aspirations. Everyone is motivated through either Intrinsic (because they want to learn) or extrinsic motivators (because they have to i. e. better job prospects). â€Å"A good teacher will play to the strengths of the learner when trying to raise enthusiasm in learning† Wilson 2004 – page 188 Other theories of motivation that can be used to motivate learners include the goal orientated theory, based on desire to be rewarded for achievement. A learner is given a clear direction or task and when it is reached there is a reward. For example I would set a group task for my learners to complete within the lesson. If they finish before the end of the lesson they are allowed an early break. If they don’t complete the task at the by the end of the session they will have to complete as homework. Albert Bandura (1994) suggested that an individual’s belief in themselves and their ability is related to what they can achieve. An example of how this can be applied into the classroom is to encourage my learner to try, and re-explain the topic if they are unsure. Through coaching and reassurance I will enable that learner to achieve. Giving effective feedback will help to improve the confidence of learners and develop their potential. Feedback should be delivered promptly and be a two way process. I would ask the learner how they think they did and get an idea if their understanding of the topic. Even if I had negative feedback to give to my learner I would end with a positive statement to incite the learner to take my comments on board and leave them feeling more positive about their performance. To conclude I suggest that inclusive teaching can only take place if both equality and diversity are positively promoted. Inclusive teaching relies on a range of differentiation strategies which may include adapted resources or additional classroom support. Depending on individual learner needs, learners may need to be referred to internal or external places of referral for extra support. .

Influential Factors on a Juveniles Life - 1510 Words

There are numerous influential factors that can determine the path a juvenile takes in life. Research has consistently shown that a juvenile’s family setting is one of the most influential factors in the juvenile’s life (Hawkins, Herrenkohl, Farrington, Brewer, Catalano, and Harachi, 1998). A common finding among research has been that children from â€Å"broken homes† or single parent homes are more likely to become involved in delinquent behaviors (Tanner). Single parent homes are more often than not, headed by a working mother, living at or below the poverty level, primarily living in a community surrounded by other families in similar situations. Poverty and education are inextricably linked where education is a primary means of social mobility, enabling those born into poverty to rise in society. Powerful evidence of the link include the fact that 46 percent of Americans who grew up in low-income families but failed to earn college degrees stayed in the lowest income quintile, compared to 16 percent for those who earned a college degree (Freidman, 2012). Recent data from the Civil Rights Project show that school segregation is very high for Latino and Black students and that this segregation is almost always what Gary Orfield called â€Å"do uble segregation,† that is, segregation by both race/ethnicity and poverty. In the 2009–2010 school year, 74 percent of Black and 80 percent of Hispanic students attended schools where 50 to 100 percent of the students were minori ¬ties. InShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Delinquency Is A Great Issue Essay1462 Words   |  6 Pagesand for the betterment of the community. Parents will always have the most important role in the life of a juvenile. The parent and child relationship, whether positive or negative, is a significant factor in adolescent development. An adolescent will move through life from this primary relationship from childhood to adulthood and display what was taught to them in various ways throughout their life. As a result, parental involvement is now widely recognized as a crucial consideration for promotingRead MoreEssay about Effects of Influences3563 Words   |  15 PagesStatement of Problem Coming from the inner-city I have been exposed to many risk factors that affect a juveniles chances of becoming a delinquent or serious and violent offender. Intervention, however, can decrease the chances of a juvenile becoming delinquent. There are various protective factors that can buffer the impact of risk factors on a childs life. My mentor was the main source of protection from the risk factors of my childhood. Despite the fact that my family was not the positive influenceRead MoreThe Effects Of Parental Involvement On Children And Parental Criminal History2844 Words   |  12 Pagesinvolvement to a juvenile’s future and ask the question, are juveniles with distance or incarcerated parents more prone to delinquency themselves? If so, how do the four major sociological theories support this statement? Juvenile delinquency is defined as criminal acts committed by someone of the juvenile age, or under 21 (citation?). It is believed that juveniles have characteristics or factors in their lives that lead them to perform these delinquent acts. These factors leading to delinquencyRead MoreThe Causes of Juvenile Delinquency and Crime Essay1432 Words   |  6 Pagesbehavior results from that of the parent and peer influences. Parents play a particularly influential role in their child’s life and it is up to them to make sure that they are leading their sons or daughters in the right directions. A teen’s peers also play a large role in how the teen behaves when the parents are not around. A teen’s social environment, consisting of family and peers, plays a vital role in their life, therefore becoming the ultimate cause of juvenile delinquency. A finding that emergesRead MoreCja344 Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice2141 Words   |  9 PagesErickson, 2006, p. 67). Race and ethnicity play a significant role in juvenile delinquency. As we grow up we are and become a product of our environment. Race and ethnical background play huge roles in who we are, how we are raised and what kind of life we provide for ourselves. It would be very hard to say that every aspect of juvenile delinquency is because of race or ethnicity, but there is without an influence. Many people are not aware of the amount of serious crime that is committed by juvenilesRead MoreThe Juvenile Delinquency Is Rooted From Within Juvenile Delinquent Behaviors1823 Words   |  8 Pagesdelinquency, are known as risk factors, can be analyzed to understand why they may resort to joining a gang. Some of these risk factors are individual, family, peers, and environment, all of which can influence negative consequences and make the juvenile more susceptible to delinquent behavior. Youth experiencing some of these risk factors are considered at-risk-youth, and are more likely to consider participating or being associated with a gang. These risk factors contribute to the great prevalenceRead MoreCrime in the United States4022 Words   |  17 Pagesmany Americans, though, children invoke fear. They represent violence, a segment of society lacking in self-control and devoid of ethics and morals, and the failure of the family to instill traditional values, top among them being the value of human life and respect for others. Juvenile crime is a recurring problem in the United States (page 309)[2]. The increase in violent juvenile crime from the late 1980s to the early 1990s alarmed the nation2. This paper will focus on one of Boston’s toughest neighborhoodRead More14. . . . Should Juveniles Be Trial As An Adult?. By Mikerlange4083 Words   |  17 Pagesjuvenile offender may receive a few years in a juvenile detention facility and p ossibly probation following his release at age eighteen†. An adult committing the same violent crime will receive a much harsher penalty, often years in jail, possibly a life sentence, with little or no chance of parole or a chance of being released the only major difference between the two offenders is the age at which they committed the crime. Juveniles over the age of eighteen should be tried as adults when accused ofRead MoreJuvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act6750 Words   |  27 Pagesdelivery specifically structured for juveniles (Juvenile Law Center, 2014). The Act has promised the guaranteed treatment for youth in the American justice system. Since its landmark legislation, JJDPA has established a commitment to the wellbeing of juvenile’s criminal activity. JJDPA has also implemented strong juvenile justice practices, services, and activities that have deemed positive results to improve the lives of juvenile youth in the criminal justice system (Mu hammad, 2014). Decades of researchRead MoreInfluence Of International Culture On The Fashion Industry7108 Words   |  29 Pagesbecome an apparent theme and fiasco for people to express individualism through apparel, provoking an assortment of reactions. The attire typically emulates the social movements and societal stratifications that are befalling at the time. Standard of life and styles are powerfully inclined by the social composition fluctuations; such as innovation, technological revolution as well as inventive activities. Buying apparel has become reckless and unscrupulous; in terms of meeting the consumers demand

Radicalisation And Radicalization Of Terrorism - 1513 Words

For the past two decades, there has be in increase in international and domestic terrorism in the world. Due to major attacks such as the Oklahoma bombing and 9/11 has been the cause of this increase. Many other attacks had raised concerns of the use of modern technologies and the reality of radicalization of terrorism. Terrorism is one of the oldest tactics in history and yet one of the hardest to define. In a number of literature, it points out that terrorism is constantly evolving and it has been passed through different groups of terrorists. Schelling (1996) explains that the use of violence to terrorize the enemy is as old as human warfare. But there is a difference between more forms of terrorism and older forms of phenomenon.†¦show more content†¦For example, a terrorist believe the term radical is seen as a stereotype infringed by the enemy that is intended to vilify the aims and objectives that the terrorist deems to be justified and morally legitimate Borum ( 2004). One must take into account the predicament and ambiguity raised in these debates about who is terrorist. A radical terrorist would believe that the American government is the real terrorist. In understanding the world view of a radical, one must take into account how they perceive themselves. Also what contributes to the psychological, social and ideological makeup of a terrorist. In order to do so, one must define terrorism and radical. Terrorism is defined as a threatened use of force by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the United States or its territories without foreign direction committed against persons or property (Terrorism 2002- 2005: FBI). Terrorism has opened to numerous interpretations, most of them being from conflicting point of views. Understanding the term terrorism is often difficult from a semantic point of view. Understanding it require a holistic and sensibility and is more realistically achieve through a relative cultural, po litical, and historical understanding of this phenomenon. This associate itself with the complexity of understanding terrorism in the terms of its distinction of criminal activities. Townshend (2002)Show MoreRelatedThe History Of The North Atlantic Alliance1763 Words   |  8 Pagessole official use of NATO’s collective power through Article 5 to this date occured after the September 11th attacks on the United States, in which the allied force went to war in Afghanistan against Taliban and Al Qaeda, fortified Kabul from radicalization, trained counter-terror Iraqi soldiers, and prevented the spillover of terror outside the middle-east. This mission was concluded in 2014, and is NATO is now engaged in refining democracy and stability in the area within a peacekeeping capacity