Distinguish between necessary, sufficient, and contributory causes of abnormal behavior

What will be an ideal response?

When discussing the factors that lead to any type of disorder, numerous relationships can be described between factors that lead to the disorder and the disorder itself. A necessary cause is something that is necessary for the development of a disorder; the disorder will not develop unless the necessary cause is present. In the case of necessary causes, exposure is required for the disorder to develop, but exposure does not guarantee the condition will develop. For example, without medical intervention, sex is necessary for conception to occur, but sex does not always lead to pregnancy. In some cases, if a factor is present, the disorder will always develop. Such factors are referred to as sufficient causes. If exposure to a virus, for example, guarantees the development of an illness, that virus is a sufficient cause. Note, however, that a sufficient cause is often not a necessary cause; there may be other factors that may lead to the disorder. Contributory causes are best described as risk factors, those things that make the development of a disorder more likely. Environmental factors, for example, may serve as contributory causes for many types of psychopathology. In summary, necessary causes are required for a disorder to develop but do not guarantee the disorder will develop, sufficient causes guarantee a disorder will develop, and contributory causes increase the chances of a disorder developing. GRADING RUBRIC - 10 points total, 2 points for definition of each factor (6 points) and 4 points for clearly distinguishing between the different types of causes.