The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) and the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) represent major dimensional frameworks proposing two alternative approaches to accelerate progress in the ...way psychopathology is studied, classified, and treated. RDoC is a research framework rooted in neuroscience aiming to further the understanding of transdiagnostic biobehavioral systems underlying psychopathology and ultimately inform future classifications. HiTOP is a dimensional classification system, derived from the observed covariation among symptoms of psychopathology and maladaptive traits, which seeks to provide more informative research and treatment targets (i.e., dimensional constructs and clinical assessments) than traditional diagnostic categories. This article argues that the complementary strengths of RDoC and HiTOP can be leveraged in order to achieve their respective goals. RDoC's biobehavioral framework may help elucidate the underpinnings of the clinical dimensions included in HiTOP, whereas HiTOP may provide psychometrically robust clinical targets for RDoC-informed research. We present a comprehensive mapping between dimensions included in RDoC (constructs and subconstructs) and HiTOP (spectra and subfactors) based on narrative review of the empirical literature. The resulting RDoC-HiTOP interface sheds light on the biobehavioral correlates of clinical dimensions and provides a broad set of dimensional clinical targets for etiological and neuroscientific research. We conclude with future directions and practical recommendations for using this interface to advance clinical neuroscience and psychiatric nosology. Ultimately, we envision that this RDoC-HiTOP interface has the potential to inform the development of a unified, dimensional, and biobehaviorally-grounded psychiatric nosology.
•This article provides a narrative review outlining an interface connecting RDoC and HiTOP dimensions.•RDoC provides a solid transdiagnostic framework for elucidating the underpinnings of HiTOP dimensions.•HiTOP may aid RDoC-informed research by providing psychometrically robust clinical targets.•Leveraging the complementary strengths of RDoC and HiTOP may advance clinical neuroscience and psychopathology research.•This interface may facilitate the development of future biobehaviorally-grounded classifications of psychopathology.
Heterogeneity within autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is recognized as a challenge to both biological and psychological research, as well as clinical practice. To reduce unexplained heterogeneity, ...subtyping techniques are often used to establish more homogeneous subtypes based on metrics of similarity and dissimilarity between people. We review the ASD literature to create a systematic overview of the subtyping procedures and subtype validation techniques that are used in this field. We conducted a systematic review of 156 articles (2001-June 2020) that subtyped participants (range N of studies = 17–20,658), of which some or all had an ASD diagnosis. We found a large diversity in (parametric and non-parametric) methods and (biological, psychological, demographic) variables used to establish subtypes. The majority of studies validated their subtype results using variables that were measured concurrently, but were not included in the subtyping procedure. Other investigations into subtypes' validity were rarer. In order to advance clinical research and the theoretical and clinical usefulness of identified subtypes, we propose a structured approach and present the SUbtyping VAlidation Checklist (SUVAC), a checklist for validating subtyping results.
•Undetected subtypes obstruct discovery of biomarkers, prognoses, and interventions.•We review 156 articles on autism that have sought to discover latent subtypes.•We specifically focus on the validation strategies employed.•Subtypes are validated mainly by comparing them on additional variables.•We provide a checklist for validating psychiatric subtypes.
Event-related potentials (ERPs) are direct measures of brain activity that can be leveraged for clinically meaningful research. They can relate robustly both to continuous measures of individual ...difference and to categorical diagnoses in ways that clarify similarities and distinctions between apparently related disorders and traits. ERPs can be linked to genetic risk, can act as moderators of developmental trajectories and responses to stress, and can be leveraged to identify those at greater risk for psychopathology, especially when used in combination with other neural and self-report measures. ERPs can inform models of the development of, and risk for, psychopathology. Finally, ERPs can be used as targets for existing and novel interventions and prevention efforts. We provide concrete examples for each of these possibilities by focusing on programmatic research on the error-related negativity and anxiety, and thus show that ERPs are poised to make greater contributions toward the identification, prediction, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders.
Considerable work has advanced understanding of the nature, causes, management, and prevention of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents over the past 30 years. Prior to this time the primary ...focus was on school refusal and specific phobias. It is now recognised that children and adolescents experience the full gamut of anxiety disorders in very similar ways to adults and that anxiety disorders in the paediatric years can predict a lifelong mental-health struggle. Given the vast array of specific studies in this field, the current review summarises current knowledge about these high prevalence disorders, points to overarching limitations, and suggests potentially important future directions. Following a brief historical overview, the review summarises knowledge about demographic and epidemiological characteristics, distal and proximal risk factors, current treatment directions, and prevention. There is still a great deal to learn about the causes and treatments of child and adolescent anxiety disorders. By amalgamating our current knowledge, this review provides a window to the research directions that are likely to lead to future advances.
•Anxiety disorders are the most common form of paediatric mental disorder.•Both distal and proximal risk factors predict the onset of paediatric anxiety disorders.•Extensive research demonstrates strong outcomes from CBT treatments.•A smaller evidence base also shows good efficacy from pharmacological treatments.•The potential for early intervention can reduce the lifelong impact of these disorders.
Group-based trajectory models are increasingly being applied in clinical research to map the developmental course of symptoms and assess heterogeneity in response to clinical interventions. In this ...review, we provide a nontechnical overview of group-based trajectory and growth mixture modeling alongside a sampling of how these models have been applied in clinical research. We discuss the challenges associated with the application of both types of group-based models and propose a set of preliminary guidelines for applied researchers to follow when reporting model results. Future directions in group-based modeling applications are discussed, including the use of trajectory models to facilitate causal inference when random assignment to treatment condition is not possible.
Resumen: Antecedentes: Existe un aumento sostenido de la prevalencia de trastornos mentales en estudiantes universitarios, situación agudizada por la pandemia por COVID-19. Objetivo: Caracterizar la ...sintomatología de salud mental y el bienestar psicológico en un grupo de universitarios chilenos y explorar cambios en su situación durante el año académico en pandemia. Metodología: Diseño longitudinal, con dos mediciones utilizando un conjunto de instrumentos validados incluidos en un sistema de seguimiento del bienestar psicológico estudiantil (SIS-BP) disponible en una plataforma en línea. La muestra, de 1176 estudiantes, no probabilística, fue obtenida por participación voluntaria. Resultados: Se encontraron diferencias entre las administraciones, mostrando que, junto con producirse deterioro de la salud mental y el bienestar psicológico, también se desarrollan procesos de fortalecimiento de capacidades. Conclusión: Se destaca la importancia de acciones institucionales oportunas para sostener la trayectoria estudiantil frente al impacto de situaciones de emergencia en la salud mental de esta población.
This special issue celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Little Albert study, published in February 1920, which marked the birth of human fear conditioning research. The collection of papers in ...this special issue provides a snapshot of the thriving state of this field today. In this Editorial, we first trace the historical roots of the field and then provide a conceptual analysis of the many ways in which human fear conditioning is currently used in theory and treatment development, with special reference to the contributions in this special issue. Ivan P. Pavlov allegedly claimed that “If you want new ideas, read old books”. We could not agree more; it is our conviction that tracing the roots of our field illuminates current trends and will contribute to shaping new directions for the next 100 years of research.
Ambulatory assessment (AA) covers a wide range of assessment methods to study people in their natural environment, including self-report, observational, and biological physiological behavioral. AA ...methods minimize retrospective biases while gathering ecologically valid data from patients' everyday life in real time or near real time. Here, we report on the major characteristics of AA, and we provide examples of applications of AA in clinical psychology (
a
) to investigate mechanisms and dynamics of symptoms, (
b
) to predict the future recurrence or onset of symptoms, (
c
) to monitor treatment effects, (
d
) to predict treatment success, (
e
) to prevent relapse, and (
f
) as interventions. In addition, we present and discuss the most pressing and compelling future AA applications: technological developments (the smartphone), improved ecological validity of laboratory results by combined lab-field studies, and investigating gene-environment interactions. We conclude with a discussion of acceptability, compliance, privacy, and ethical issues.
Resumen: En los últimos años distintos estudios muestran la eficacia de las intervenciones en Psicología Positiva para mejorar la sintomatología depresiva y el bienestar en población adulta; sin ...embargo, hay pocos estudios que revisen la eficacia de estas intervenciones en personas de 60 años o más. Objetivo: recoger y sintetizar la evidencia existente en la última década con respecto a las intervenciones en Psicología Positiva en estas personas. Método: se ha realizado una revisión sistemática (RS) que recoge las publicaciones, realizadas entre enero de 2012 y julio de 2022, procedentes de las bases de datos SCOPUS, WOS/Medline y PROQUEST/PsycInfo. Se seleccionaron 944 estudios empíricos, de los cuales 18 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. Resultados: se presenta evidencia sobre la eficacia de las intervenciones en Psicología Positiva para reducir la sintomatología depresiva e incrementar el bienestar subjetivo y psicológico en personas de estas edades, con efectos superiores a los de otros grupos de control. Esto sucede con programas de intervención en bienestar, al entrenar varias fortalezas- gratitud o perdón junto con otras- o entrenando en mindfulness. Conclusión: estos resultados subrayan la importancia de considerar las intervenciones en Psicología Positiva como terapias complementarias para mejorar la salud mental y la calidad de vida en personas mayores de 60 años.
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