Life events and schizophrenia: the "triggering" hypothesis.

The present paper reviews the life event research specific to schizophrenia with the goal of assessing the extent to which recent empirical studies have implicated life stress variables as precipitants of acute episode of the disorder (i.e. the "triggering" hypothesis). Different methodological strategies used in life event research are reviewed along with the substantive findings from quasi-experimental and controlled studies of schizophrenic patients. It is concluded that stressful life events have been found to be part of the pool of factors associated with the onset of acute schizophrenic episodes, but evidence is still lacking to indicate that this association is necessary or direct one. Recommendations are made regarding the types of future studies required to fill the gaps in the existing literature.