Understanding psychopathology: Melding behavior genetics, personality, and quantitative psychology to develop an empirically based model

Robert Krueger, Kristian E. Markon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

125 Scopus citations

Abstract

Research on psychopathology is at a historical crossroads. New technologies offer the promise of lasting advances in our understanding of the causes of human psychological suffering. Making the best use of these technologies, however, requires an empirically accurate model of psychopathology. Much current research is framed by the model of psychopathology portrayed in current versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; b3American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Although the modern DSMs have been fundamental in advancing psychopathology research, recent research also challenges some assumptions made in the DSM - for example, the assumption that all forms of psychopathology are well conceived of as discrete categories. Psychological science has a critical role to play in working through the implications of this research and the challenges it presents. In particular, behavior-genetic, personality, and quantitative-psychological research perspectives can be melded to inform the development of an empirically based model of psychopathology that would constitute an evolution of the DSM.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)113-117
Number of pages5
JournalCurrent Directions in Psychological Science
Volume15
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Preparation of this paper was supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service Grant MH65137.

Keywords

  • Categories
  • Classification
  • Comorbidity
  • DSM
  • Dimensions
  • Statistics

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