Equifinality and multifinality in developmental psychopathology

Since its inception as an emergent interdisci-epigenesis, may lead to the same outcome, plinary science, diversity in process and out-Stated differently, in an open system (i.e., one come have been conceived as among the hall-where there is maintenance in change, dymarks of the developmental psychopathology namic order of processes, organization, selfperspective (Cicchetti, 1984(Cicchetti, , 1990;; Gar-regulation, etc.) the same end state may be mezy & Streitman, 1974; Kohlberg, La-reached from a variety of different initial con- Crosse, & Riclcs, 1972;Sameroff, 1989; ditions and through different processes.This Sroufe, 1986, 1989;Sroufe & Rutter, 1984). is referred to as equifinality, an organismic Thus, developmental psychopathologists have process that possesses significant implications articulated the expectations that there are mul-for psychological and biological regulatory tiple contributors to adaptive or maladaptive systems (Cicchetti, 1996) and for behavioral outcomes in any individual, that these factors and biological plasticity (Cicchetti & Tucker, and their relative contributions vary among 1994b).In contrast, in a closed system the end individuals, and that there are myriad path-state is inextricably linked to and determined ways to any particular manifestation of adap-by the initial conditions: if either the conditive or disordered behavior (Cicchetti, 1993; tions change or the processes are modified, Richters & Cicchetti, 1993;Robins, 1966; then the end state will also be modified (von Robins & Rutter, 1990;Rutter, 1989Rutter, , 1995;;Bertalanffy, 1968).Sroufe & Jacobvitz, 1989).Additionally, it is Initial descriptions of equifinality emabelieved that there is heterogeneity among in-nated from work in embryology.For example, dividuals who develop a specific disorder the development of a normal organism was with respect to the features of their disturb-shown to occur from a whole ovum, a divided ance, as well as among individuals who evi-ovum, or two fused ova.Further, it was demdence maladaptation but who do not develop onstrated that different initial sizes and differa disorder.In accord with this view, the prin-ent courses of growth can eventuate in the ciples of equifinality and multifinality derived same ultimate size of an organism (von Bertafrom general systems theory (von Bertalanffy, lanffy, 1968;Waddington, 1957).Within the 1968) are germane.discipline of developmental psychopathology, Equifinality refers to the observation that equifinality has been invoked to explain why in any open system (cf.Mayr, 1964(cf.Mayr, , 1988) ) a a variety of developmental pathways may diversity of pathways, including chance eventuate in a given outcome, rather than exevents or what biologists refer to as nonlinear pecting a singular primary pathway to the adaptive or maladaptive outcome.