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ConclusionsElaine F. Walker and Daniel RomerIn this volume, we see evidence of tremendous progress in understanding the natureand developmental origins of behavioral dysfunction, especially the syndromesthat typically emerge during adolescence. The chapters highlight the ways in whichenvironmental and genetic factors act in concert to modulate the course of braindevelopment and thereby confer vulnerabilities, as well as resilience, to mentaldisorders. They also describe new research findings that shed light on the developmentalprocesses giving rise to functional impairment and some of the promisingopportunities for intervention suggested by these models.Developmental ModelsThere is rapidly accumulating evidence that adolescence is a critical developmentalperiod for the expression of vulnerabilities for behavioral symptoms andsyndromes, ranging from substance use to major mental illnesses. Why is adolescencea critical period for the onset of such a broad range of disorders? Inaddressing this question, it is of interest to consider the developmental modelsoffered by the investigators featured in this volume. These models represent themajor trends in conceptualizing the nature of adolescent development and riskfor mental disorders.463