Abstract
The emerging consensus regarding transdiagnostic and dimensional models of psychopathology has important implications for the development of effective approaches for early intervention and prevention of psychiatric conditions. Consistent with biological, epidemiological and clinical evidence, transdiagnostic prevention focuses on reducing risk factors and/or preventing outcomes that are shared across populations who may be at risk for a range of psychiatric disorders. This narrative review describes some of the efforts made to date to develop and test interventions aiming to support universal, selective, and indicated prevention of psychiatric conditions in a transdiagnostic manner, during childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. An evidence-based transdiagnostic approach to the prevention of mental illness in youth, that accounts for the existing body of knowledge about transdiagnostic risk factors as well as constraints impacting "real world" feasibility of these approaches, has the broad potential to ultimately reduce the incidence and severity of psychiatric illnesses.