Longitudinal and well-controlled cross-sectional studies have shown that numerous psychosocial stress factors in childhood and youth affect psychic health in the long term. The significance of compensatory protective factors has also been well documented in various studies. An overview of this work is presented: the factors which need to be clarified and taken into consideration in the diagnosis of psychic disorders have been summarized and critically analyzed on the basis of the results of more recent studies of the significance of sexual traumatization.