Precipitating event
It refers to a specific event or trigger which leads to the onset of a current problem. Or it can be looked upon as the most immediate cause of a psychiatric disorder.
i. stress is an important precipitating factor.
ii. Traumatic life experience: APA defines trauma as a persons emotional response to an extremely negative or disturbing event. Trauma exposure is initiating factor behind many psychiatric disorders including PTSD. In case of OCD a critical event may trigger the predisposing factors to develop certain psychopathology, while for major depressive disorder the cognitive preference is towards the negative life events after a traumatic incidence.
iii. Social learning theory is a theory of learning processes and social behaviour which proposes that every new behaviour is acquired by imitating and observing others. Social learning theory is one of the most enduring theories in case of psychopathology specifically in case of psychopathy.