Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Developmental Epidemiology

A Framework for Developmental Psychopathology

  • Chapter
Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

In this chapter, we show how epidemiology can help us to think about the causes of psychiatric disorders and to develop a coherent philosophy of intervention to prevent and ameliorate them. By the end of the chapter, we hope to have made the case that (1) the goal of epidemiological research is disease prevention, (2) understanding the development of a disease and intervening to prevent it are equally important aspects of epidemiological research, (3) understanding the development of a disease may point to different kinds of intervention at different stages in the developmental process, and (4) understanding individual development is a critical part of understanding and intervening in the disease process, because both risk for, and expression of, disorder change over the life course. Finally, taking as a model the Framingham study (Dawber, 1980), with its 50-year history of exploring risk for coronary heart disease, we argue the case for a “developmental Framingham”: a longitudinal, community-based commitment to understanding and minimizing risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. At the same time, we point out that an epidemiological approach to the control of disease has often raised tremendous social and political controversies (think about the battle to put fluoride in the water supply), and that an epidemiological approach to developmental psychopathology is liable to raise even more violent debates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Achenbach, T. M., Howell, C. T., McConaughy, S. H., & Stanger, C. (1995). Six-year predictors of problems in a national sample: III. Transitions to young adult syndromes.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 34(5), 658–669.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J. C., Williams, S., McGee, R., & Silva, P. A. (1987). DSM-III disorders in preadolescent children: Prevalence in a large sample from the general population. Archives of General Psychiatry 44 , 69–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., Costello, E. J., & Worthman, C. M. (1998). Puberty and depression: The role of age, pubertal status, and pubertal timing. Psychological Medicine , 28 , 51–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., Erkanli, A., Loeber, R., Costello, E. J., Van Kaminen, W., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (1996). Disappearing depression in a population sample of boys. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders , 4(2), 95–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., Prendergast, M., Cox, A., Harrington, R., Simonoff, E., & Rutter, M. (1995). The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment (CAPA). Psychological Medicine , 25 , 739–753.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A., & Worthman, C. W. (1993). Puberty onset of gender differences in rates of depression: A developmental, epidemiologic and neuroendocrine perspective. Journal of Affective Disorders , 29 , 145–158.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beardslee, W. R., Hoke, L., Wheelock, I., Rothberg, P. C., van de Velde, P., & Swatling, S. (1992). Initial findings on preventive intervention for families with parental affective disorders.American Journal of Psychiatry 149 (10) 1335–1340.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bird, H. R., Canino, G., Rubio-Stipec, M., Gould, M. S., Ribera, J. , Sesman, M., Woodbury, M., Huertas-Goldman, S., Pagan, A., Sanchez-Lacay, A., & Moscoso, M. (1988). Estimates of the prevalence of childhood maladjustment in a community survey in Puerto Rico: The use of combined measures. Archives of General Psychiatry , 45 ,1120–1126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brandenburg, N. A, Friedman, R. M., & Silver, S. E. (1990). The epidemiology of childhood psychiatric disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 29 , 76–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breslau, N. (1987). Inquiring about the bizarre: False positives in diagnostic interview schedule for children (DISC) ascertainment of obsessions, compulsions, and psychotic symptoms. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 26 639–644.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks-Gunn, J., Graber, J. A., & Paikoff, R. L. (1994). Studying links between hormones and negative affect: Models and measures.Journal of Research on Adolescence 4(4) , 469–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R., Lewinsohn, P. M., Seeley, J. R., & Wagner, E. F (1996). Cigarette smoking, major depression, and other psychiatric disorders among adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 35(12), 1602–1610.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, B. J., Costello, E. J., Angold, A., Tweed, D., Stangl, D., Farmer, E. M. Z., & Erkanli, A. (1995). Children’s mental health service use across service sectors. Health Affairs , 14(3), 147–159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Califano, J. A. (1986). America’s health care revolution: Who lives? Who dies? Who pays? New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, E. A., & Sroufe, L. A. (1995). Contribution of attachment theory to developmental psychopathology. In D. Cicchetti & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Developmental psychopathology: Theory and methods (Vol. 1; pp. 581–617). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chassin, L., Conran, P. J., Husson, A. M., & Colder, C. R. (1996). The relation of parent alcoholism to adolescent substance use: A longitudinal follow-up study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 105 , 70–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christie, K. A., Burke, J. D., Regier, D. A., Rae, D. S., Boyd, J. H., & Locke, B. Z. (1988). Epidemiologic evidence for early onset of mental disorders and higher risk of drug abuse in young adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 145(8) , 971–975.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. T., Schaefer, M., Burchard, J. D., & Welkowitz, J. W. (1992). Wrapping community-based mental health services around children with a severe behavioral disorder: An evaluation of project wraparound. Journal of Child and Family Studies , 1(3) , 241–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, P., Provet, A. G., & Jones, M. (1996). Prevalence of emotional behavior disorders during childhood and adolescence. In B. L. Lubotsky & J. Petrila (Eds.), Mental health services: A public health perspective (pp. 193–209). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D. (1996). The prevention of violence and antisocial behavior. In R. DeV. Peters & R. J. McMahon (Eds.), Prevention of psychological disorders (pp. 1–18). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costello, A. J., Edelbrock, C., Kalas, R., Kessler, M. D., & Klaric, S. H. (1982). The National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC). Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E., Farmer, E., Angold, A., Bums, B., & Erkanli, A. (1997). Psychiatric disorders among American Indian and white youth in Appalachia: The Great Smoky Mountains Study. American Journal of Public Health , 87(5) , 827–832.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E. J. (1989). Developments in child psychiatric epidemiology. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 28 , 836–841.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E. J., & Angold, A. (1995). Developmental epidemiology. In D. Cicchetti & D. Cohen (Eds.), Developmental psychopathology: Volume 1. Theory and methods (pp. 23–56). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E. J., Angold, A., & Keeler, G. P. (1999). Adolescent outcomes of childhood disorders: The consequences of severity and impairment. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 38, 121–128.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E. J., Angold, A., Burns, B. J., Stangl, D. K., Tweed, D. L., Erkanli, A., & Worthman, C. M. (1996). The Great Smoky Mountains Study of youth: Goals, designs, methods, and the prevalence of DSM-III-R disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry , 53(12), 1129–1136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E. J., Edelbrock, C. S., Costello, A. J., Dulcan, M. K., Bums, B. J., & Brent, D. (1988). Psychopathology in pediatric primary care: The new hidden morbidity. Pediatrics , 82(3), 415–424.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D’Agostino, R. B., Kannel, W. B., Belanger, A. J., & Sytkowski, P. A. (1989). Trends in CHD and risk factors at age 55–64 in the Framingham study. International Journal of Epidemiology , 18(3, Suppl. 1), S67–S72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dawber, T. R. (1980). The Framingham Study: The epidemiology of coronary heart disease. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dincin, J., Wasmer, D., Witheridge, T. E, Sobeck, L., Cook, J., & Razzano, L. (1993). Impact of assertive community treatment on the use of the state hospital inpatient bed-days. Hospital and Community Psychiatry , 44(9) , 833–838.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dohrenwend, B. P., Levav, I., Shrout, P. E., Schwartz, S., Naveh, G., Link, B. G., Skodol, A. E., & Stueve, A. (1992, February 21). Socioeconomic status and psychiatric disorders: The causation-selection issue. Science , 255, 946–952.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, G. J., & Rodgers, W. L. (1988, November). Longitudinal aspects of childhood poverty. Journal of Marriage and the Family , 50 , 1007–1021.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eber, L., Osuch, R., & Redditt, C. A. (1996). School-based applications of the wraparound process: Early results on service provision and student outcomes. Journal of Child and Family Studies , 5(1), 83–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esser, G., Schmidt, M. H., & Woemer, W. (1990). Epidemiology and course of psychiatric disorders in school-age children: Results of a longitudinal study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 31(2), 243–263.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feehan, M., McGee, R., & Williams, S. M. (1993). Mental health disorders from age 15 to age 18 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 32(6) , 1118–1126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feehan, M., McGee, R., Williams, S. M., & Nada-Raja, S. (1995). Models of adolescent psychopathology: Childhood risk and the transition to adulthoodJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(5) 670–679

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferdinand, R. F, Verhulst, F C., & Wiznitzer, M. (1995). Continuity and change of self-reported problem behaviors from adolescence into young adulthood. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(5) 680–690

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (1995). Predictive validity of categorically and dimensionally scored measures of disruptive childhood behaviorsJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,34(4) 477–485

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Lynskey, M. T. (1993, November). Prevalence and comorbidity of DSM-III-R diagnoses in a birth cohort of 15 year oldsJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,32(6) 1127–1134

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., & Lynskey, M. T. (1995). Childhood circumstances, adolescent adjustment, and suicide attempts in a New Zealand birth cohort. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 34(5), 612–622.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., Lynskey, M. T., & Horwood, L. J. (1996). Origins of comorbidity between conduct and affective disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 35(4), 451–460.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, S. H., Adamson, L. B., Riniti, J., & Cole, S. (1994). Mothers’ expressed attitudes: Associations with maternal depression and children’s self-esteem and psychopathology. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 33(9), 1265–1274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, R. S., Jr. (1983). An operational classification of disease prevention. Public Health Reports , 98 , 107–109.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gottlieb, G. (1991). Epigenetic systems view of human development. Developmental Psychopathology, 27(1), 33–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gould, M. S., Wunsch-Hitzig, R., & Dohrenwend, B. P. (1980). Formulation of hypotheses about the prevalence, treatment and prognostic significance of psychiatric disorders in children in the United States. In B. P. Dohren-wend (Eds.), Mental illness in the United States: Epidemiological estimates (pp. 9–44). New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grob, G. N. (1985). The origins of American psychiatric epidemiology. American Journal of Public Health , 75(3), 229–236.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hay, D. F, & Angold, A. (1993). Introduction: Precursors and causes in development and pathogenesis. In D. F Hay & A. Angold (Eds.), Precursors and causes in development and psychopathology (pp. 1–21). Chichester, UK: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kannel, W. B. (1990). Contribution of the Framingham Study to preventive cardiology. Journal of the American College of Cardiology , 15, 206–211.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kashani, J. H., Beck, N. C., Hoeper, E. W., Fallahi, C., Corcoran, C. M., Mcallister, J. A., Rosenberg, T. K., & Reid, J. C. (1987). Psychiatric disorders in a community sample of adolescents. American Journal of Psychiatry , 144 , 584–589.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kleinbaum, D. G., Kupper, L. L., & Morgenstern, H. (1982). Epidemiologic research: Principles and quantitative methods. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs, M., Akiskal, H. S., Gatsonis, C., & Parrone, P. L. (1994). Childhood-onset dysthymic disorder: Clinical features and prospective naturalistic outcome. Archives of General Psychiatry , 51(5), 365–374.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs, M., Goldston, D., & Gatsonis, C. (1993). Suicidal behaviors and childhood-onset depressive disorders: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 32 , 8–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lapouse, R. L., & Monk, M. A. (1964). Behavior deviations in a representative sample of children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry , 34 , 436–447.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewinsohn, P., Zinbarg, J., Seeley, J. R., Lewinsohn, M., & Sack, W. (1997). Lifetime comorbidity among anxiety disorders and between anxiety disorders and other mental disorders in adolescentsJournal of Anxiety Disorders,11(4) 377–394

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewinsohn, P. M., Hops, H., Roberts, R. E., Seeley, J. R., & Andrews, J. A. (1993). Adolescent psychopathology: I. Prevalence and incidence of depression and other DSM-III-R disorders in high school studentsJournal of Abnormal Psychology, 102(1) 133–144

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R. (1991). Questions and advances in the study of developmental pathways. In D. Cicchetti & S. Toth (Eds.), Rochester Symposium on Developmental Psychopathology: Vol. 3. Models and integrations (pp. 97–116). Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Main, M., Kaplan, N., & Cassidy, J. (1985). Security in infancy, childhood and adulthood: A move to the level of representation. In I. Bertherton & E. Waters (Eds.), Growing points of attachment theory and research (pp. 66106). Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development , 50 (Serial No. 209).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCord, J. (1992). The Cambridge-Somerville Study: A pioneering longitudinal experimental study of delinquency prevention. In J. McCord & R. E. Tremblay (Eds.), Preventing antisocial behavior: Interventions from birth through adolescence (pp. 196–206). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McFarlane, W. R., Stastny, P., & Deakins, S. (1992). Family-aided assertive community treatment: A comprehensive rehabilitation and intensive case management approach for persons with schizophrenic disorders. In New Directions for Mental Health Services (pp. 43–54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGee, R., Feehan, M., Williams, S., & Anderson, J. (1992). DSM-III disorders from age 11 to age 15 yearsJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,31(1) 50–59

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLeod, J. D., & Shanahan, M. J. (1996, September). Trajectories of poverty and children’s mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior , 37, 207–220.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mrazek, P. J., & Haggerty, R. J. (Eds.). (1994). Reducing risks for mental disorders: Frontiers for preventive intervention research. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulvey, E. P., Geller, J. L., & Roth, L. H. (1987). The promise and peril of involuntary outpatient commitment. American Psychologist , 42(6), 571–584.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puig-Antich, J., & Chambers, W. (1978). The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children (K-SADS) (Unpublished Interview Schedule). New York: New York State Psychiatric Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinherz, H. Z., Giaconia, R. M., Silverman, A. B., Friedman, A., Pakiz, B., Frost, A. K., & Cohen, E. (1995). Early psychosocial risks for adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 34(5), 599–611.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robins, L. N., Davis, D. H., & Nurco, D. N. (1974). How permanent was Vietnam drug addiction? American Journal of Public Health , 64 , 38–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenheck, R., Neale, M., Leaf, P., Milstein, R., & Frisman, L. (1995). A multi-site experimental cost study of intensive psychiatric community careSchizophrenia Bulletin,21(1) 129–140

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rothman, K. J. (1976). Review and commentary: CausesAmerican Journal of Epidemiology, 104(6) 587–592

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, D., Fisher, P. W., Dulcan, M., Davies, M. Piacentini, J. Schwab-Stone, M., Lahey, B. B., Bourdon, K., Jensen, P., Bird, H., Canino, G., & Regier, D. (1996). The NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC 2.3): Description, acceptability, prevalences, and performance in the MECA studyJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,35(7) 865–877

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd, M., Oppenheim, B., & Mitchell, S. (1971). Childhood behaviour and mental health. London: University of London Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silberg, J., Pickles, A., Rutter, M., Kessler, R. J. H., Simonoff, E., & Eaves, L. (1999). The influence of genetic factors and life stress on depression among adolescent girls. Archives of General Psychiatry , 56 , 225–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, R. G., & Blyth, D. A. (1992). Moving into adolescence: The impact of pubertal change and school context. In P. H. Rossi, M. Useem, & J. D. Wright (Eds.), Social institutions and social change (pp. 366–403). New York: Aldine De Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Susman, E. J., Nottelmann, E. D., Inoff-Germain, G. E., Dorn, L. D., Cutler, G. B., Loriaus, D. L., & Chrousos, G. P. (1985). The relation of relative hormonal levels and physical development and social-emotional behavior in young adolescentsJournal of Youth and Adolescence,14(3) 245–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanDenBerg, J. E., & Grealish, E. M. (1996). Individualized services and supports through the wraparound process: Philosophy and proceduresJournal of Child and Family Studies,5(1) 7–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Velez, C. N., Johnson, J., & Cohen, P. (1989). A longitudinal analysis of selected risk factors of childhood psychopathology. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 28(6), 861–864.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C., & Hammond, M. (1988). Maternal depression and its relationship to life stress, perceptions of child behavior problems, parenting behaviors, and child conduct problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology , 16(3), 299–315.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, Z., Reich, W., Herjanic, B., Jung, K. G., & Amado, H. (1987). Reliability, validity, and parent-child agreement studies of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 26 , 649–653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wills, T. A., DuHamel, K., & Vaccaro, D. (1995). Activity and mood temperament as predictors of adolescent substance use: Test of a self-regulation mediational modelJournal of Personality and Social Psychology,68(5) 901–916

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wills, T. A., Schreibman, D., Benson, G., & Vaccaro, D. (1994). Impact of parental substance use on adolescents: A test of mediational modelJournal of Pediatric Psychology,19(5) 537–556

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen, H.-U., Nelson, C. B., & Lachner, G. (1998). Prevalence of mental disorders and psychosocial impairments in adolescents and young adults. Psychological Medicine , 28 , 109–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zeanah, C. H., & Emde, R. N. (1994). Attachment disorders in infancy and childhood. In M. Rutter, E. Taylor, & L. Hersov (Eds.), Child and adolescent psychiatry: Modern approaches (pp. 490–504). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 27710, USA

    Elizabeth Jane Costello & Adrian C. Angold

Authors
  1. Elizabeth Jane Costello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adrian C. Angold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Arnold J. Sameroff

  2. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    Michael Lewis

  3. Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Suzanne M. Miller

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Costello, E.J., Angold, A.C. (2000). Developmental Epidemiology. In: Sameroff, A.J., Lewis, M., Miller, S.M. (eds) Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4163-9_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4163-9_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6868-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4163-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation