The DOI matches its Crossref record; 146 of the 150 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC): An analysis of methodological and conceptual challenges
Abstract
In a bold effort to address the longstanding shortcomings of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) framework for the classification and diagnosis of psychopathology, the National Institute of Mental Health recently launched a research program - the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) - in the hopes of developing an alternative taxonomic system rooted in dysfunctional brain circuitry. Although the RDoC endeavor has considerable promise, it faces several methodological and conceptual challenges, four of which I address here: (a) an overemphasis on biological units and measures, (b) neglect of measurement error, (c) biological and psychometric limitations of endophenotypes, and (d) the distinction between biological predispositions and their behavioral manifestations. Because none of these challenges is in principle insurmountable, I encourage investigators to consider potential remedies for them. RDoC is a calculated gamble that appears to be worth the risk, but its chances of success will be maximized by a thoughtful consideration of hard-won lessons learned--but frequently forgotten--over the past several decades of psychological and psychiatric research.
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“the RDoC initiative has been met with its own set of critiques, including an underdeveloped conceptual framework, an overemphasis on biological units, neglect of the psychometric weaknesses and measurement error of some methods, inadequate consideration of developmental factors and socio-cultural contexts, and a disconnect between research and clinical practice [109-114]”
From Advancing the study of sluggish cognitive tempo via DSM, RDoC, and hierarchical models of psychopathology (2019) · cites this paper as [114]
Citations
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“For example the measurement error or predictive accuracy required from functional magnetic resonance imaging data, would be comparable to that required of self-report or behavioural measures (Lilienfeld, 2014).”
BackgroundInfluentialThe DSM-5: What should general practitioners know?
Paris, J. (2017) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/med/9780198746638.003.0006
Abalo‐Rodríguez, I., & Moratti, S. (2022) · doi:10.31219/osf.io/hzusb
Valencia, M. (2016) · Revista de Psicología Universidad de Antioquia · doi:10.17533/udea.rpsua.v8n2a01
Ward‐Ciesielski, E. F., Curreri, A. J., Woods, B. K., & Barlow, D. H. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-14332-8_10
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Giorgetti, M., Borgatti, R., & Antonietti, A. (2023) · RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA · doi:10.3280/rip2022oa16047
“Ampia è la letteratura (Iacono, 2016; Lilienfeld, 2014; Miller, Rockstroh, Hamilton, & Yee, 2016; Weinberger, Glick & Klein, 2015; Yee, Javitt & Miller, 2015) circa i “misunderstanding RDoC” (Lake, Yee & Miller, 2017).”
McCauley, R. N., & Graham, G. (2020) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190091149.002.0006
McCauley, R. N., & Graham, G. (2020) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190091149.002.0004
McCauley, R. N., & Graham, G. (2020) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190091149.002.0003
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Avolition Characterizes the Chronic Fatigue Experienced in Quiescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease
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Heinrichs, D. W. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780198960720.003.0003
Heinrichs, D. W. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780198960720.002.0006
Heinrichs, D. W. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780198960720.002.0007
How Psychiatrists Make Decisions
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Deconstruction in Psychiatry: Are We Missing the Forest for the Trees?
Nair, G. A., Jakowczuk, T. E., Florentin, O. D., Sheikh, F., Shad, M. U., Glannon, W., Schaefer, M., Barlati, S., Kling, M. A., Curtis, S. D., et al. (2025) · Annals of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/10401237251344101
Creating Scale Measures of Latent Factors: A Genetic Algorithmic Approach
Lowman, K. L., Costello, T. H., Stewart, R. A., Joyner, K. J., Bertoldi, B. M., & Patrick, C. J. (2025) · Assessment · doi:10.1177/10731911251376230 · Cited by 1
“Efforts in this direction would align with calls for integration of data across units of analysis (e.g., Insel et al., 2010; Lilienfeld, 2014; Miller, 2010) and provide a means to harness the most powerful combinations of indicators to capture (or predict, depending on the measurement goal) a given…”
Gabriel-Segard, T. (2023) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/2f469c9fz7a22z4f47z9e37zcf0e1f890660
Etiology: Contributing Factors
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“Similarly, the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project aims to classify psychiatric illnesses dimensionally based on behavioral and neurobiological correlates (Cuthbert and Insel 2013; Insel 2014; Lilienfeld 2014).”
Lee, T. Y., Eom, K., Kim, J. J., Lee, Y., & Hyun, J. H. (2026) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2026.06.029
Metadata
- Authors
- Lilienfeld, S. O.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lilienfeld, Scott O.
- ORCID
- Lilienfeld, Scott O.
- Venue
- Behaviour Research and Therapy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-11
- Volume
- 62
- Pages
- 129-139
- ISSN
- 0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2080055550
- Cited by
- 248
- References
- 150
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 3
- FWCI
- 154.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Keywords
- Research Domain Criteria, psychopathology classification, DSM, endophenotypes, measurement error, biological predispositions, behavioral manifestations, psychiatric diagnosis
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Humans, National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.), Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Research, United States
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