[Life change events and the development of mental disorders]

The role of biologic, psychological and social factors and their interactions in etiology of psychotic disorders, is the objective of studies in psychiatry during the last 20 years. These changes in the outside world and social environment as well as life events may affect the development of psychopathologic phenomena in "sensitive" persons. This paper presents life events as predisposing factors (connection between life events in childhood and psychopathology in adulthood) and precipitating factors (life events which occur during the period which precedes the onset of the diseases) of psychotic disorders.