ETIOLOGIC RESEARCH IN PSYCHIATRY - FROM R ISK-FACTORS TO RISK MECHANISMS

Over the last 25 years, the burgeoning of psychiatric epidemiology has generated a considerable knowledge base on the prevalence and inciden ce of psychiatric disorders. For most disorders, risk factor research has also led to the identification of vulnerability factors in the gen etic, biological, psychological and social arenas. However, the deline ation of psychopathological mechanisms requires a better understanding of the developmental connexions and sequences of intervention of the postulated risk factors. Similarly, psychopathological models should b enefit from the study of protective influences and processes. The impo rtance of longitudinal approaches to the study of causation in psychop athology is emphasized. While future research endeavors need to be the ory-driven and to rely on more sophisticated measurement strategies, e tiological research in psychiatry will continue to benefit from the ra nge of research methods provided by epidemiology.