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Chapter 2Competence, Resilience, andDevelopment in AdolescenceClues for Prevention ScienceAnn S. MastenDuring the past 30 years, a dramatic transformation has occurred in research concernedwith the origins and prevention of mental health problems as developmentalpsychopathology emerged. Developmental psychopathology (DP) can be definedas the study of behavior problems and related disorders in the full context of humandevelopment. This multidisciplinary perspective emphasizes developmental principles,multiple causes and outcomes, the value of integrating theory or knowledgeabout normal and nonnormal development (competence and psychopathology, resilienceand maladaptive behavior), the importance of multiple levels of analysis(molecules to media), and longitudinal studies (Masten, 2006a). From the perspectiveof developmental psychopathology, if one seeks to understand or alter the mentalhealth of adolescents, it is essential to consider normal and deviant developmentbefore, during, and after this period of the life span. This chapter considers clues topreventing adolescent psychopathology deduced from research on risk, competence,and resilience in developmental psychopathology.The search for understanding the etiology of mental illnesses and problems gaverise to research on resilience, as well as the integrative science of developmentalpsychopathology in the late 20th century (Masten, 1989, 2001, 2006a). It wasrecognized decades ago that some children and adolescents were at greater riskfor developing mental disorders and problems, including those with biologicalparents who had serious mental disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder),31