Although low levels of stressful life experiences are considered to be a normal part of development, higher levels can constitute a threat to the well-being and healthy development of children and adolescents. Adolescents are exposed to increased rates of stressful life experiences and there is some evidence that increases in stressors account, at least in part, for the increased rates of psychological problems associated with this developmental period. This article provides a definition for stress then proposes a general conceptual model of the role of stressors in the development of mental health problems for adolescents. (Contains 1 figure.)