Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci - Vol. 47 - No 2 (2010) The Historical Origins and Developmental Pathways of the Discipline of Developmental Psychopathology Sheree L. Toth, PhD,1 and Dante Cicchetti, PhD 1, 2 1 Mt. Hope Family Center,University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, U.S.A. 2 Institute of Child Development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. intervention are proffered that possess implications for ABSTRACT enhancing our understanding of normal and abnormal The historical origins of the field of developmental development and for reducing suffering in persons with psychopathology are discussed and the meaning of mental disorders. a developmental psychopathology perspective is described. The definitional principles and tenets of the discipline of developmental psychopathology are HIstORIcaL OrIGINS OF DEVELOPMENtaL delineated and they are utilized to highlight diversity in PSYCHOPathOLOGY process and outcome. The definitional principles that The field of developmental psychopathology owes its are discussed include: 1) the mutual interplay between emergence and coalescence to a number of historically the study of normality and psychopathology; 2) the based endeavors in a variety of disciplines, including importance of a multiple-levels of analysis and multi- embryology, genetics, the neurosciences, psychoanaly- disciplinary approach; 3) the processes that contribute sis, and clinical, developmental, and experimental to resilient adaptation in the face of significant psychology (1). Many of the great theorists in these adversity; 4) translational research; and 5) implications influential disciplines have reasoned that we can learn for prevention and intervention. Examples derived more about the normal functioning of an organism by from research and clinical contexts are provided to studying its pathology, and likewise, more about its illustrate these principles. Advances in our knowledge pathology by investigating its normal condition (2). A base in developmental psychopathology not only have number of these integrative thinkers conceived of psy- benefitted the scientific understanding of the relation chopathology as a magnifying mirror in which normal between normal and abnormal development, but also biological and psychological processes could better be have contributed to reducing the individual and societal observed. Because these systematizers conceptualized burden of mental illness. psychopathology as a distortion or exaggeration of the normal condition, the study of pathological phenomena was thought to throw into sharper relief one’s under- standing of normal processes. In this article, the historical origins and scientific A basic theme that appears in the writings of these advances in the field of developmental psychopathol- earlier thinkers is that because all psychopathology can ogy are described and the principles that have guided its be conceived as a distortion, disturbance or degenera- evolution are explicated. The definitional parameters of tion of normal functioning, it thus follows that, if one the discipline are then discussed. Examples of research wishes to understand pathology more fully, then one derived from academic settings and from clinical must understand the normal functioning against which research contexts are included to illustrate these prin- psychopathology is compared (2). Not only is knowl- ciples. Finally, important directions for prevention and edge of normal biological, psychological and social pro- Address for Correspondence: Sheree Toth, PhD, Director, Mt. Hope Family Center, Associate Professor, Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester, 187 Edinburgh Street, Rochester, NY 14608, U.S.A. [email protected]. 95 SHEREE L. TOTH AND danTE CICCHETTI cesses extremely helpful for understanding, preventing etiology, course, and sequelae of psychopathology and and treating psychopathology, but also the deviations resilience (19). from normal development that are seen in pathological processes indicate in exciting ways how normal onto- genesis may be better investigated and understood. What IS DEVELOPMENtaL Indeed, for many thinkers the very essence and unique- PSYCHOPathOLOGY? ness of a developmental psychopathology approach lies Although definitional divergence exists (19), develop- in its focus on both normal and abnormal, adaptive and mental psychopathology is a scientific discipline whose maladaptive, ontogenetic processes (2-6). predominant focus is elucidating the interplay among The field of developmental psychopathology first the biological, psychological and social-contextual came into ascendance during the 1970s, predominantly aspects of normal and abnormal development across the through being highlighted as an important perspec- lifespan (20). In recent years, developmental psychopa- tive by researchers conducting prospective longitudinal thology has become increasingly contextual, multi-level, studies of children at risk for developing schizophrenia dynamic and multidisciplinary (21-23). (7). Also instrumental in the field’s emergence were epi- In one of the initial statements concerning the goals demiological investigations of families exhibiting dis- of developmental psychopathology, Cicchetti (1, p. 20) cord, disharmony, and disruption but where there was remarked, “Developmental psychopathology should no parental mental disorder (8) and studies of the links bridge fields of study, span the life cycle, and aid in the between cumulative risk factors and developmental out- discovery of important new truths about the processes come (9). Likewise, research on the causes, correlates and underlying adaptation and maladaptation, as well as consequences of secure and insecure attachment (10, 11), the best means of preventing or ameliorating psycho- investigations of children with a variety of handicapping pathology.” Cicchetti further commented, “This disci- conditions (12-16), and studies in life span developmen- pline should contribute greatly to reducing the dualisms tal psychology (17) were influential in furthering interest that exist between the clinical study of and research into in developmental psychopathology. These investigations childhood and adult disorders, between the behavioral generated important knowledge about basic developmen- and biological sciences, between developmental psy- tal processes in a variety of biological and psychological chology and psychopathology, and between basic and systems that provided a solid empirical basis against applied science” (p. 20). which developmental psychopathologists could discover Theorists and researchers in the field of developmen- new truths about the processes underlying adaptation tal psychopathology strive to bring together, within a life and maladaptation, as well as the best means of prevent- span framework, the many contributions to the under- ing and treating psychopathology. standing of individuals at high risk for developing mental Over the course of the past four decades, develop- disorders as well as those who have already manifested mental psychopathology has emerged as an integrative such disorders. Developmental psychopathologists discipline that is the product of the confluence of vari- do not espouse or adhere to one particular theory that ous efforts that had been previously distinct and sepa- could account for all developmental phenomena (24, 25). rate (1, 2, 18, 19). Rather than competing with existing Rather, they seek to integrate knowledge across scientific theories and facts, the developmental psychopathology disciplines at multiple levels of analysis and within and perspective represents a broad, integrative framework between developmental domains (21, 22, 26, 27). within which the contributions of separate disciplines Developmental psychopathologists also engage in can be realized in the larger context of understanding a comprehensive evaluation of biological, psychologi- individual development and functioning. The principles cal, social and cultural processes and strive to ascer- of developmental psychopathology can provide the con- tain how the interaction among these multiple levels ceptual scaffolding for facilitating this multidisciplinary of analysis may influence individual differences, the integration. Through the organizing principles of the continuity or discontinuity of adaptive or maladaptive concept of development and of systems theory, the dis- behavioral patterns, and the pathways by which nor- cipline of developmental psychopathology has brought mal and pathological developmental outcomes may be together fields of study and investigators that were once achieved. In practice, this entails comprehension of and disparate in order to examine complex questions of the appreciation for the developmental transformations and 96 HISTORIcal ORIGINS OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOpaTHOLOGY reorganizations that occur over time; an analysis of the pernicious (36). Thus, for example, being a teen parent risk and protective factors and mechanisms operating in and of itself may not significantly increase the risk of within and outside the individual and his or her envi- developmental maladaptation in offspring; however, if ronment over the course of lifespan development; the the young mother resides within an impoverished com- investigation of how emergent functions, competencies munity with frequent intra- and extra-familial violence and developmental tasks modify the expression of a present, then the likelihood of negative