as useful in explaining other poor (but non-clinical) developmental outcomes. Protective factors, such as positive social networks or high self-esteem, can counteract the effects of stressors and prevent or curb the effects of the disorder. Many psychological disorders have a window of vulnerability, during which time an individual is more likely to develop a disorder than others. Diathesis–stress models are often conceptualized as multi-causal developmental models, which propose that multiple risk factors over the course of development interact with stressors and protective factors contributing to normal development or psychopathology. The differential susceptibility hypothesis is a recent theory that has stemmed from the diathesis–stress model. Diathesis The term diathesis is synonymous with vulnerability, and variants such as "vulnerability-stress" are common within psychology. A vulnerability makes it more or less likely that an individual will succumb to the development of psychopathology if certain stress is encountered. Diatheses are considered inherent within the individual and are typically conceptualized as being stable, but not unchangeable, over the lifespan. They are also often considered latent (i.e., dormant) because they are harder to recognize unless provoked by stressors. Diatheses are understood to include genetic, biological, physiological, cognitive, and personality-related factors. Some examples of diatheses include genetic factors, such as abnormalities in some genes or variations in multiple genes that interact to increase vulnerability. Other diatheses include early life experiences such as the loss of a parent or high neuroticism. Diatheses can also be conceptualized as situational factors, such as low socioeconomic status or having a parent with depression. Stress Stress can be conceptualized as a life event that disrupts the equilibrium of a person's life. For instance, a person may be vulnerable to becoming depressed but will not develop depression unless he or she is exposed to a specific stress, which may trigger a depressive disorder. Stressors can take the form of a discrete event, such as the divorce of parents or a death in the family, or can be more chronic factors such as having a long-term illness or ongoing marital problems. Stresses can also be related to more daily hassles, such as school assignment deadlines. This also parallels the popular (and engineering) usage of stress, but note that some literature defines stress as the response to stressors, especially where usage in biology influences neuroscience. It has been long recognized that psychological stress plays a significant role in understanding how psychopathology develops in individuals. However,