One of the biological factors which may cause mental disorder?

KPSC Staff Nurse - 2017

Mental Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

Brain damage is a direct biological factor that can cause mental disorders.
It involves physical or structural changes to the brain from causes like head injury, infections (e.g., encephalitis), tumors, or strokes.
These structural changes can disrupt normal brain function, leading to psychiatric symptoms such as personality changes, mood swings, psychosis, or cognitive deficits.

Option B: Poverty is a significant risk factor, but it is classified as a social or environmental factor, not a biological one. It contributes to stress, limited access to resources, and increased exposure to adverse life events.
Option C: An abnormal parent-child relationship is a psychological or psychosocial factor. It relates to early life experiences, attachment, and developmental psychology, which can create a vulnerability to mental illness.
Option D: Alcoholism is a substance use disorder, which is a complex condition with behavioral, social, and biological components. While chronic alcohol use can lead to brain damage (a biological factor), alcoholism itself is primarily classified as a behavioral disorder in this context.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Etiology of Mental Disorders (Biopsychosocial Model) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key nursing responsibility is to conduct a comprehensive mental health assessment, which includes gathering information about all potential etiological factors: biological (e.g., history of head injury, physical illness), psychological (e.g., coping skills, trauma history), and social (e.g., living situation, financial stress).
Understanding the multifactorial nature of mental illness helps nurses provide holistic care that addresses more than just symptoms, such as connecting a patient in poverty with social work services.
What if? If a patient with new-onset depression also reports a recent car accident with a head injury, the nurse should prioritize flagging this for a neurological workup, as the depression could be a direct result of brain damage rather than a primary psychiatric condition.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'biological factors'.
Recall the major categories used to classify the causes of mental illness: the Biopsychosocial Model (Biological, Psychological, Social).
Evaluate each option and categorize it based on this model.
Option A (Brain damage) directly relates to the physical structure of the brain, fitting the 'Biological' category.
Option B (Poverty) relates to socioeconomic conditions, fitting the 'Social' category.
Option C (Abnormal parent-child relationship) relates to life experiences and relationships, fitting the 'Psychological' category.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 1 (pp 26-289 of 579) p. 46-48

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 149-151