Final answer:
The diathesis-stress model suggests that certain biological or environmental factors make us vulnerable to mental illness, but they do not directly cause it. Chronic stress can lead to physical and mental health issues, including stress-related diseases like heart disease. The correct answer to the student's question is option A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The diathesis-stress model suggests that certain biological or environmental factors make us vulnerable to mental illness, but they do not directly cause it. This perspective recognizes a combination of genetic susceptibility (diathesis) and environmental stressors as contributing to the development of psychological disorders. It does not claim that people with a genetic propensity for a disorder will invariably develop it, nor that psychological disorders are common only in high-stress families. Moreover, it doesn't assert that an individual's ability to cope with stress is the sole predictor of whether they will develop a psychological disorder.
Stress can have severe consequences, including contributing to post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and other serious psychiatric conditions, and is linked to a variety of physical illnesses and diseases. It is known that stress can push humans both physically and mentally, and when these limits are constantly tested by chronic stress, it can lead to stress-related diseases such as heart disease. Understanding this relationship is crucial for both preventing and treating psychological and psychophysiological disorders.
Overall, the correct answer to the student's question is A. Certain biological or environmental factors make us vulnerable to mental illness, but they do not directly cause it.