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European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Published in: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 12/2017

01-12-2017 | Review

Stressful life events during adolescence and risk for externalizing and internalizing psychopathology: a meta-analysis

Authors: Jaume March-Llanes, Laia Marqués-Feixa, Laura Mezquita, Lourdes Fañanás, Jorge Moya-Higueras

Published in: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry | Issue 12/2017

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Abstract

The main objective of the present research was to analyze the relations between stressful life events and the externalizing and internalizing spectra of psychopathology using meta-analytical procedures. After removing the duplicates, a total of 373 papers were found in a literature search using several bibliographic databases, such as the PsycINFO, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. Twenty-seven studies were selected for the meta-analytical analysis after applying different inclusion and exclusion criteria in different phases. The statistical procedure was performed using a random/mixed-effects model based on the correlations found in the studies. Significant positive correlations were found in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. A transactional effect was then found in the present study. Stressful life events could be a cause, but also a consequence, of psychopathological spectra. The level of controllability of the life events did not affect the results. Special attention should be given to the usage of stressful life events in gene–environment interaction and correlation studies, and also for clinical purposes.
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Metadata
Title
Stressful life events during adolescence and risk for externalizing and internalizing psychopathology: a meta-analysis
Authors
Jaume March-Llanes
Laia Marqués-Feixa
Laura Mezquita
Lourdes Fañanás
Jorge Moya-Higueras
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry / Issue 12/2017
Print ISSN: 1018-8827
Electronic ISSN: 1435-165X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-017-0996-9

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