Clara is a 19-year-old elite track athlete experiencing severe depressive symptoms and persistent exhaustion, which are beginning to affect her academic and sports performance. She has consulted a sports psychologist who believes her symptoms are influenced by both her genetic predisposition and the significant lifestyle transitions she has undergone in the past four months. The psychologist notes that Clara's father and paternal aunt both have documented histories of clinical depression.
To evaluate her environmental stressors, the psychologist utilizes a specialized Athletic Adjustment & Stress Scale. Each life transition is assigned a stress unit score, which are combined to calculate her total stress load.
| Event | Stress unit score | Times occurred in last 4 months | Total score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transitioning to collegiate level training | 80 | 1 | 80 |
| Relocating to university campus | 50 | 1 | 50 |
| Change in sleep habits | 25 | 3 | 75 |
| Major change in diet | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Minor physical injury | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Total | 260 |
State one aspect of Clara's situation that could be described as nature and one aspect that could be described as nurture.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Issues and debates with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 147 questions covering Issues and debates, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
