Model building in developmental psychopathology: A pragmatic approach to understanding and intervention

Proposes model building as a pragmatic and integrative approach to developm ental psychopathology. The model-building process is iterative within a pro gram of research, cycling through the following phases of research: theory, field observation, construct definition, measurement development, construc t analysis, model testing, experimental field trials, and model revision. R esearch on the development of and interventions for antisocial behavior is discussed as a tool for reflecting on the model-building process. The ecolo gical framework is offered as a science-based heuristic that integrates var ious levels of analysis and theoretical perspectives.