The developmental approach to psychopathology in childhood and adolescence.

The task of developmental psychopathology is to integrate biological processes of maturation with psychological interactions and social influences. Attempts to explain behavioural maladaptation during childhood therefore require multi-level models. Examples are given in which structural lesions are obvious (fetal alcohol syndrome) or less clear (learning disabilities) and in which the expression of psychopathology varies with development. Recent work suggest adult schizophrenia to be related to prenatal neuropathology, thereby opening new perspectives for developmental studies.