Social adversity and mental functions in adolescents at high risk of psychopathology. Position paper and suggested framework for future research.

BACKGROUND: Social adversities are accepted as critical factors in the development of psychopathology in young people, but the precise mechanisms of this relationship are unknown. AIMS: To explore sources of evidence and suggest future lines of research to clarify the relationship between exposure to negative circumstances and development of psychopathology in young people.
METHOD: Selective survey of the literature to collect a series of hypotheses that might serve as a framework for future research.
RESULTS: and conclusions Evidence to date suggests there is no simple relationship between adverse life events and the subsequent emergence of psychopathology. The interplay of acute and chronic stressors over the lifespan with affective temperament; the interrelationship of 'sensitivity' and 'performance' cognitions in response to life events; and limbic-cortical neural networks are all indicated as important avenues of future research.