Question

SHORT ANSWER (2-4 sentences recommended): Your friend's husband has been diagnosed with a serious psychological disorder. Your friend is worried that her child (for whom the husband is the biological father) will develop the same disorder. Based upon your knowledge of developmental psychopathology, what would you tell your friend about the possibility of the child developing the disorder and what factors and processes must we consider? Edit View Insert Format Tools Table

Answer 1

The possibility of a child developing the same psychological disorder as their biological father depends on a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Mental disorders are caused by a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors, and there is no single genetic switch that causes a mental disorder. Genetic factors, such as susceptibility to mental illness, are passed on in families through genes, but mental illness itself occurs from the interaction of multiple genes and other factors such as stress, abuse, or a traumatic event. Therefore, it is important to take into account both genetic and environmental factors when assessing the risk of a child developing a psychological disorder.