Recent stressful life events: Their long term effects.

The long-term effects of undesirable life events are reviewed. Two forms of major event that are outside the child's control, divorce and war, are discussed together with the literature investigating the impact of undesirable life events on subsequent risk for psychopathology and maladjustment. The impact of any event cannot be easily predicted without a substantial knowledge of its antecedents, nature and consequences for the child's current environmental circumstances. The indications are that some children may be life event prone as a consequence of either not being protected from adverse circumstances in the family or peer group; or contributing, through their own behavioural style, to an increased likelihood of life event occurrence. The evidence supports the notion that, whatever the origins of life events, they increase the risk of subsequent psychopathology or poor adaptation to subsequent environmental demands such as school achievement. There are marked individual differences in outcome from exposure to similar severe events. The degree of risk for either subsequent psychopathology or poor adaptation is best determined by a knowledge of life events in association with other forms of adverse or ameliorating circumstances rather than by life events alone. Psychological and physiological responses to events, as well as measures of the environment, should be incorporated in future longitudinal research to assist in explaining individual differences in outcome to similar undesirable circumstances.