Developmental psychopathology studies how the environment we grow up in influences our development. One key principle of the perspective is multifinality, this is the idea that similar beginnings can lead to various outcomes. This concept will be noted throughout the essay regarding the characters we will discuss. Multifinality also depends on the risk and protective factors an individual is exposed to. Risk factors are elements that increase someone’s chance of harm, and protective factors are those that decrease an individual’s susceptibility to risk factors. “The Other Wes Moore” tells the story of two young men who have comparable backgrounds but lead contrasting lives. The characters in the story are both named Wes Moore; however, in this …show more content…
This was highlighted when Wes Moore, 1’s mother, decided to send him to military school and help him reach his full potential. Wes Moore 2 had a mother that was not as involved in her parenting, and although she did give Wes independence, it was often an oversight. Egeland et al. (1996) created a similar study, however this study compared children with various behavioral problems and found that constructs of both multifinality and equifinality had a strong correlation in the research (Egeland et al., 1996). This finding supports the question I proposed earlier in the paper, how do risk factors guide the developmental course of individuals? With the involvement of multifinality, the severity of risk factors mainly depends on internal factors like personal resilience. Another difference between Wes Moore 1 and Wes Moore 2, is that Wes Moore 1 has a stronger characteristic of resilience. This was mostly due to the role models in his life like his mother, grandparents, and military …show more content…
This study served as a strong protective factor through childhood and limited childhood disorders. If Wes Moore 2 had a program like this one, his conduct problems may have been reduced. This research shows that children are not set in the path they are on due to the conditions they develop in. With the introduction of new protective factors, children are able to change their direction. However, most protective factors depend on resources in your area, socioeconomic status, and family; these factors are not easily changed and are a large reason it is difficult for youths to change the trajectory of their lives. Earlier in this paper I asked, how do risk factors guide the developmental course of individuals? With the research provided above, I can confidently say that risk factors heavily influence the developmental course of individuals, and it is difficult for protective factors to unfold when risk factors are preventing them. When an individual is exposed to as many risk factors as Wes Moore 2 was, it is difficult to find a protective factor strong enough to diminish the effects of the risk factor, and it is especially tough trying to access new protective factors that are