"An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure."

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The future of child and adolescent psychiatry lies in the identification of prodromal presentations and risk factors associated with the onset and progression of psychopathology. Only once we begin to understand the early clinical manifestations of psychiatric disorders and the risk factors, genetic and environmental, associated with illness onset and outcome will we be able to develop early intervention and ultimately, preventive treatment strategies.

In this issue of "Focus on Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health," we present 4 studies, each enhancing our understanding of potential targets for secondary prevention strategies as we move toward the ultimate goal of primary prevention of mental illnesses.’ ‹