Editorial: prevention and intervention science: contributions to developmental theory.

In a chapter on the historical roots of the ute) to preventive intervention research. Neuroscience, genetics, and epidemiology comdiscipline of developmental psychopathology, Cicchetti (1990) predicted that this thenprised three of the sciences. The fourth scientific tradition chosen as a core science emerging field would, among other integrative functions, help to bridge the gap between was developmental psychopathology. A central objective of this Special Issue is basic and applied research and between theoretical and clinical efforts for children, adolesto document the promise of a developmental psychopathology perspective holds for procents, and adults (see also Cicchetti & Toth, 1991, 1992, 1998). Despite this hopeful asserviding integration and bridging between developmental theory and prevention and intervention, in the dozen years since its appearance, there has not been a complete closing of the tion and to provide key exemplars of both what has been done and what can be done to gap (which, at worst, can resemble a chasm). In a related vein, the Institute of Medicine achieve this goal. As highlighted below and as is evident in the contributions herein, the(IOM; 1994) report, Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders: Frontiers for Preventive Interory and research on basic developmental processes can and should inform prevention and vention Research, stated that the field of prevention science could be moved forward intervention efforts to a greater extent than is the current norm, and clinical research on through appropriate theoretical integration. The IOM (1994) committee on the prevention treatment and preventive strategies can provide unprecedented and essential insights of mental disorders presented four integrative core sciences as illustrations of how each had translatable to the making of further theoretical advances (Hinshaw, 2002a, 2002b; Kelcontributed (and would continue to contriblam & Rebok, 1992; Koretz, 1991). For example, if the developmental course Work on this Special Issue was supported, in part, by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health is altered as a result of the implementation of (MH45027 and MH54643) and the Spunk Fund, Inc., to preventive interventions and the risk for negaDante Cicchetti and by grants from the National Institute tive outcomes is reduced, then prevention reof Mental Health (U01 MH50461 and R01 MH 45064) search has contributed to specifying the proto Stephen P. Hinshaw. cesses that are involved in the emergence of Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dante Cicchetti, Ph.D., Shirley Cox Kearns Professor of maladaptive developmental outcomes and psyPsychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, and Director, Mt. chopathology (Cicchetti & Rogosch, 1999; Hope Family Center, University of Rochester, 187 EdinCoie, Watt, West, Hawkins, Asarnow, Markburgh Street, Rochester, NY 14608 or Stephen P. Hinman, Ramey, Shure, & Long, 1993; Kellam & shaw, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Tolman Hall Rebok, 1992). Accordingly, preventive inter#1650, University of California, Berkeley, CA 947201650. vention research can be conceptualized as true