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Cited by 2,143Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesMental Health Research TopicsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Diathesis-stress theories in the context of life stress research: implications for the depressive disorders

Monroe, Scott M., Simons, Anne D.·1991·Psychological Bulletin
DOI 10.1037/0033-2909.110.3.406
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Abstract

Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of life stress in the past 2 decades raise several questions concerning traditional diathesis-stress theories of psychopathology. First, comprehensive measures of life stress force investigators to become more precise about the particular stressful circumstances hypothesized to interact with diatheses. Second, the influence of the diathesis on a person's life is typically ignored, which results in several types of possible bias in the assessment of life stress. Finally, information is available on diatheses and stress for specific disorders to provide a foundation for more empirically based hypotheses about diathesis-stress interactions. This possibility is outlined for depression. Such an approach provides the basis for developing broader, yet more specific, frameworks for investigating diathesis-stress theories of psychopathology in general and of depression in particular.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0033-2909.110.3.406

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  • Every individual carries some risk variants for depression, and a polygenic score predicts the genetic liability to depression better than any specific genetic variant.

    “The large number of common variants involved 262-264 entails that every individual carries some risk variants for depression, and a polygenic score (indexing the individual's load of risk variants) predicts the genetic liability to depression better than any specific genetic variant. 265”

    From Time for united action on depression: a Lancet–World Psychiatric Association Commission (2022) · cites this paper as [263]

  • The genetic risk of depression is likely due to small effects of hundreds or thousands of common genetic variants, with overrepresentation of genes affecting brain development, inflammation, bioenergetics and neuronal signalling.

    “The genetic risk of depression is likely due to small effects of hundreds or thousands of common genetic variants, with overrepresentation of genes affecting brain development, inflammation, bioenergetics and neuronal signalling.”

    From Time for united action on depression: a Lancet–World Psychiatric Association Commission (2022) · cites this paper as [263]

  • The hundreds of genetic variants associated with depression, each of very low effect, are most concentrated among genes that are expressed in the prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate.

    “The hundreds of genetic variants associated with depression, each of very low effect, are most concentrated among genes that are expressed in the prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate. 263”

    From Time for united action on depression: a Lancet–World Psychiatric Association Commission (2022) · cites this paper as [263]

  • A contrasting position is that both vulnerability and stress operate in a graded manner, such that as diathetic loading increases, the level of stress required to precipitate depression decreases, and conversely as stress increases, a less severe diathesis is necessary for depression to occur.

    “A contrasting position that has garnered substantial interest is that both vulnerability and stress operate in a graded manner, such that as the diathetic loading increases, the level of stress required to precipitate depression decreases, and conversely as stress increases, a less severe diathesis is necessary for depression to occur (Monroe & Simons, 1991).”

    From A Latent Structure Analysis of Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression in Adolescence (2019) · cites this paper as Monroe & Simons, 1991

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Authors
Monroe, S. M., & Simons, A. D.
Affiliations
University of Oregon (US)
ORCID
Monroe, Scott M.
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
1991
Volume
110
Issue
3
Pages
406-425
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
DOI
10.1037/0033-2909.110.3.406
OpenAlex
W2031415599
Cited by
2,143
References
110
Citations by year
2026: 144 · 2025: 183 · 2024: 143 · 2023: 117 · 2022: 117 · 2021: 123 · 2020: 120 · 2019: 112 · 2018: 72 · 2017: 100 · 2016: 100 · 2015: 88 · 2014: 75 · 2013: 71 · 2012: 70
FWCI
21.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH-41884, R01MH041884, MH-39139)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
diathesis-stress model, life events, depressive disorders, depression, psychopathology
MeSH terms
Depressive Disorder, Humans, Life Change Events, Personality Development, Risk Factors, Social Environment

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