CONTRIBUTIONS OF RISK-FACTOR RESEARCH TO DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Risk-factor research refers to the study of antecedent conditions and subsequent outcomes and the ways in which these are interrelated. The research encompasses a broad rang of questions and research strategies . The paper discusses the characteristics and contributions of risk-fa ctor research in the context of developmental psychopathology. The way s in which causal paths are conceptualized, the capacity to integrate multiple influences, and applications that can be derived from the fin dings are discussed. The progression of research is illustrated in rel ation to key concepts (correlate, risk factor, marker, causal risk fac tor) that reflect varied levels of understanding antecedent-outcome re lations. The identification of causal relations, progressions, and pat hs over the course of development and the interplay of theory, researc h, and application are illustrated and discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd.