This paper examines the conceptual and empirical connections between competence andpsychopathology, two historically rich traditions for the study of adaptation in development, andwhat might be gained from their integration. Historical roots of these two traditions are reviewed,then overlaps in their definition are considered, with a focus on the ways in which judgmentsabout competence enter into the nosology of mental disorders. DSM-IV is analyzed from theperspective of competence, and the debate about “harmful dysfunction” indefining mental disorder is discussed in relation to competence. Different models explaining theempirical associations of competence and psychopathology are delineated, and illustrativeempirical evidence is provided. Potential explanations include confounded concepts andmethods, symptoms undermining the effectiveness of adaptation in the environment, failures inage-salient developmental tasks leading to emotional and behavioral problems, transactionalinfluences, shared vulnerability or risk factors producing both kinds of difficulties, and morecomplex models. The potential benefits of integrating competence and psychopathology as twomajor approaches to adaptation are discussed in regard to theory, classification of mentaldisorder, research, and intervention.