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Cited by 793Mental Health and PsychiatryMental Health Research TopicsPsychology and Mental Health

Developing constructs for psychopathology research: Research domain criteria

Open access
Sanislow, Charles A., Pine, Daniel S., Quinn, Kevin J., Kozak, Michael J., Garvey, Marjorie A., Heinssen, Robert K., Wang, Philip Sung-En, Cuthbert, Bruce N.·2010·Journal of Abnormal Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0020909
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Abstract

There exists a divide between findings from integrative neuroscience and clinical research focused on mechanisms of psychopathology. Specifically, a clear correspondence does not emerge between clusters of complex clinical symptoms and dysregulated neurobiological systems, with many apparent redundancies. For instance, many mental disorders involve multiple disruptions in putative mechanistic factors (e.g., excessive fear, deficient impulse control), and different disrupted mechanisms appear to play major roles in many disorders. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework is a heuristic to facilitate the incorporation of behavioral neuroscience in the study of psychopathology. Such integration might be achieved by shifting the central research focus of the field away from clinical description to more squarely examine aberrant mechanisms. RDoC first aims to identify reliable and valid psychological and biological mechanisms and their disruptions, with an eventual goal of understanding how anomalies in these mechanisms drive psychiatric symptoms. This approach will require new methods to ascertain samples, relying on hypothesized psychopathological mechanisms to define experimental groups instead of traditional diagnostic categories. RDoC, by design, uncouples research efforts from clinically familiar categories to focus directly on fundamental mechanisms of psychopathology. RDoC proposes a matrix of domains and levels of analyses and invites the field to test and refine the framework. If RDoC is successful, the domains will ultimately relate to familiar psychopathologies in ways that promote new knowledge regarding etiology and more efficient development of new preventive and treatment interventions.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1037/a0020909

Cites

70 of 70 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 33 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingreasoning

    On the basis of reviews of relevant empirical literature, the RDoC working group identified five initial candidate domains: negative affect, positive affect, cognition, social processes, and arousal/regulatory systems.

    “On the basis of reviews of relevant empirical literature, the RDoC working group identified five initial candidate domains: negative affect, positive affect, cognition, social processes, and arousal/regulatory systems.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Premisenone given

    Psychiatric research struggles to develop knowledge about the relationship of higher order clinical phenomena to their molecular corollaries.

    “Although some gains have been made, psychiatric research continues to struggle to develop knowledge about the relationship of higher order clinical phenomena to their molecular corollaries.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Premisereasoning

    One-to-one relationships between putative mechanisms and clinically defined disorder categories do not exist.

    “However, it becomes increasingly evident that such one-to-one relationships do not exist.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Premisenone given

    Major advances in understanding brain circuitry and its genetic corollaries have not contributed commensurately to understanding psychopathology, diagnosis, and treatment.

    “This problem is especially acute for the biological sciences, where major advances in understanding brain circuitry, and its genetic corollaries, have not contributed commensurately to the understanding of psychopathology, diagnosis, and treatment.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Interpretationreasoning

    Research using the RDoC approach will be organized on the basis of putative mechanisms rather than conventional diagnostic categories.

    “However, research using the RDoC approach will be organized on the basis of the putative mechanisms rather than the conventional diagnostic categories.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 17
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 13

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The present diagnostic system does not incorporate current integrative neuroscience information and is not optimal for making scientific gains through neuroscience approaches.

    “However, the way that mental disorders are defined in the present diagnostic system does not incorporate current information from integrative neuroscience research, and thus is not optimal for making scientific gains through neuroscience approaches.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites NIMH, 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    The proposed candidate domains and constructs are not fixed and are intended as a heuristic for integrative psychopathology research.

    “It bears repeating that the proposed set of candidate domains and constructs is not fixed and is intended as a heuristic for integrative psychopathology research.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    RDoC is distinct from endophenotype efforts because it aims to illustrate an innovative research framework for identifying exemplary intermediate phenotypes that might lead to more powerful theories of psychopathology.

    “but RDoC is distinct because the aim is to illustrate an innovative research framework for identifying exemplary intermediate phenotypes that might lead to more powerful theories of psychopathology than those that have emerged to date.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    These problems hamper attempts to integrate clinical and integrative neuroscience research, limiting descriptive nosologies' ability to facilitate scientific gains through neuroscience-informed approaches.

    “These problems specifically hamper attempts to integrate clinical and integrative neuroscience research, in turn limiting descriptive nosologies' ability to facilitate scientific gains through neuroscience-informed approaches (Hyman, 2008a).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hyman, 2008a

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The RDoC framework emphasizes integration of knowledge about genes, cells, and neural circuits with knowledge about cognition, emotion, and behavior.

    “Thus, the RDoC framework emphasizes the integration of knowledge about genes, cells, and neural circuits with knowledge about cognition, emotion, and behavior.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisereasoning

    Many mental disorders involve multiple disruptions in putative mechanistic factors, and a given disrupted mechanism can play a major role in many disorders.

    “many mental disorders involve multiple disruptions in putative mechanistic factors (e.g., excessive fear, deficient impulse control), and different disrupted mechanisms appear to play major roles in many disorders.”
    • Also stated in: § Background · hedged
      “results from the initial attempts at such integration suggest that any given disorder can be marked by disruptions among multiple mechanisms, and one particular mechanism may contribute to the psychopathology of a large number of disorders.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    RDoC candidate domains must be related to problem behaviors found in DSM and ICD symptom lists to have clinical relevance.

    “Therefore, a priority for RDoC candidate domains is that they can be related to problem behaviors that can be found in the symptom lists that constitute the symptom criteria for conventional mental disorder categories such as those found in the DSM and the ICD.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    A satisfactory classification system must integrate research on fundamental dimensions of behavioral functioning, the brain circuits that implement them, and genetic and epigenetic factors shaping their development.

    “The first is that a satisfactory classification system must integrate research about the fundamental dimensions of behavioral functioning, the brain circuits that implement them, and the genetic and epigenetic factors that shape their development.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    Social processes are critical because interpersonal manifestations may be the most familiar observation of psychopathology.

    “Social processes are critical because interpersonal manifestations may be the most familiar observation of psychopathology.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    No clear correspondence emerges between clusters of complex clinical symptoms and dysregulated neurobiological systems, with many apparent redundancies.

    “Specifically, a clear correspondence does not emerge between clusters of complex clinical symptoms and dysregulated neurobiological systems, with many apparent redundancies.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Study design and conductnone given

    Candidate research domains were developed from extensive and well-developed bodies of research that have significant potential to link directly to psychopathological mechanisms.

    “Candidate research domains were developed from extensive and well-developed bodies of research that have significant potential to link directly to psychopathological mechanisms.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    Dependence on conventional nosologies assumes the validity of single disorders and organizes research accordingly.

    “Dependence on conventional nosologies leaves the enterprise of understanding mechanisms of psychopathology in the awkward position of assuming the validity of single disorders and organizing research accordingly.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisereasoning

    Current diagnostic nosologies such as DSM and ICD grew from clinical consensus and clinical observation, which limits their utility for integrating clinical findings with behavioral neuroscience.

    “Both the DSM and the ICD grew out of a tradition that utilized a clinical consensus approach informed largely by clinical observation, clustering of symptoms, the course of the disorder, and other related indices.”
    • Also stated in: § Abstract · plain
      “However, aspects of the original diagnoses limit their utility when trying to integrate clinically oriented findings with research based in behavioral neuroscience.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Mechanisms underlying heightened or suppressed fear responses may span anxiety disorders and matter more for diagnosis and treatment than the diagnostic category.

    “These data suggest that more fundamental mechanisms of elevated or inhibited fear responding may cut across the various disorders and be more significant for diagnosis and treatment than is the category per se.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Responses to new stress depend on developmental history; compensatory mechanisms in fear processing and depression have been found to vary with early changes in these neural systems.

    “For instance, how people respond to new stress depends on developmental history, and compensatory mechanisms have been identified in fear processing (see Pine, 2009;Pine, Helfinstein, Bar-Haim, Nelson, & Fox, 2008) and depression (see e.g., Liotti, Mayberg, McGinnis, Brannan, & Jerabek, 2002) that vary as a result of early alteration to these neural systems.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Pine, 2009

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Pine et al., 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Liotti et al., 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Attempting to relate cognitive functions to neural systems, instead of relating diagnostic categories to neural functions, may be more efficient; the relationships found would not be predetermined by descriptive practices that might not correspond to distinct pathological systems and might not separate underlying pathology from clinical presentation.

    “Trying to map cognitive functions onto neural systems rather than trying to map conventional diagnostic categories onto neural functions might be more efficient because the relationships that are discovered will not be prejudged by descriptive practices that may not reflect singular pathological systems and may not clearly distinguish underlying pathologies from the “clinical surface.””
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: Mental disorders arise from individual variation in brain function.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    The core psychopathology is likely to involve disrupted neural circuits, for example a failure to extinguish an abnormally conditioned response or an error in neurodevelopment.

    “Ultimately, the fundamental psychopathology is likely to be disrupted neural circuits-the failure of a system to extinguish an aberrantly conditioned response, or a misstep in a specific neurodevelopmental process.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: Mental disorders arise from individual variation in brain function.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The HPA axis has been linked to a range of psychopathologies, including posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

    “the HPA axis has been linked to a range of psychopathologies, including posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia (see e.g., Pariante & Lightman, 2008).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Pariante & Lightman, 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Neural circuits connecting the basolateral amygdala with ventral medial areas of the prefrontal cortex are particularly important in the extinction of fear.

    “Neural circuits connecting the basolateral amygdala with ventral medial areas of the prefrontal cortex are particularly important in the extinction of fear (Milad & Quirk, 2002;Pine, 2009).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Milad & Quirk, 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Pine, 2009

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    At the New York State Psychiatric Institute in the 1930s, roughly one fifth of patients received a schizophrenia diagnosis; this rose steadily and reached 80% in the 1950s.

    “In the 1930s, about 20% of the patients at the New York State Psychiatric Institute were diagnosed with schizophrenia, but there was a steady increase that peaked at 80% in the 1950s.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Kuriansky et al., 1974

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Adult presentations of disorders reflect earlier psychopathology and possible compensatory changes in functioning.

    “Disorders as they present in adults reflect the effect of prior psychopathology and possible compensatory mechanisms upon functioning.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Many mental disorders are developmental, typically beginning before adulthood.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Activity in the mesolimbic dopamine system is relevant to substance abuse and addiction-like behaviors at one pole and to anhedonia and lack of energy in clinical depression at the opposite hypoactive pole.

    “Activity in this system is relevant at one pole of functioning to substance abuse and other addiction-like behaviors, and at the opposite, hypoactive pole to the anhedonia and lack of energy implicated in clinical depression (Nestler et al., 2002).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Nestler et al., 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Regulatory systems might subserve many other domains but were included among candidates because of the importance of homeostatic functions and their underlying systems.

    “As with cognition, regulatory systems might subserve many of the other domains in certain respects but were included among the candidates because of the importance of homeostatic functions and the systems underlying them.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    It may be premature to separate schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the current framework, and doing so may hinder understanding of their pathophysiological basis.

    “Thus, it may be the case that separating these types of psychopathology in our current framework may be premature and limit further understanding of their pathophysiological basis.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Orexins play a role in narcolepsy.

    “the recently demonstrated role of orexins in narcolepsy; see Hungs & Mignot, 2001”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hungs & Mignot, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    The amygdala, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, and mesolimbic dopamine pathway all play a role in aggression.

    “The amygdala, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, and mesolimbic dopamine pathway all play a role in aggression.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    For RDoC to succeed, research must be decoupled from current diagnostic concepts.

    “If the RDoC effort is to succeed, it will require the uncoupling of research efforts from current diagnostic conceptions.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: The RDoC project stems from the perspective that freeing research from current diagnostic entities is necessary for an integrative classification incorporating neuroscience and behavior.
27 of 27

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Psychiatric symptoms can be mapped onto crosscutting mechanisms or dimensions that are more amenable to neuroscience research than conventional diagnostic categories.

    “Such integration might be achieved by shifting the central research focus of the field away from clinical description to more squarely examine aberrant mechanisms.”

  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    RDoC research samples will include individuals with recognizable disorders, meeting or approaching criteria for one or more DSM disorders.

    “Research protocols based on RDoC would presume that samples would include those with recognizable “disorders” as we know them, at least at some level.”
    “though it would be expected that the population be clinical, with participants meeting or approaching criteria for one or more DSM disorders.”

  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    RDoC domains will account for significant proportions of variance in multiple DSM disorders.

    “The domains would of course be expected to account for significant proportions of variance in a number of different DSM disorders as well.”

  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Mental disorders arise from individual variation in brain function.

    “One premise of RDoC is that mental disorders are implemented in individual differences in brain function.”

  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Solid anchors to behavioral neuroscience will help refine constructs.

    “RDoC is based on the premise that solid anchors to behavioral neuroscience will help in the refinement process.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many mental disorders are developmental, typically beginning before adulthood.

    “To a substantial degree, mental disorders are disorders of development, first appearing prior to full adulthood.”

  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The RDoC project stems from the perspective that freeing research from current diagnostic entities is necessary for an integrative classification incorporating neuroscience and behavior.

    “This project stems from the perspective that in order to develop an integrative approach to classification that incorporates neuroscience and behavior, it is necessary to free research from constraint by current diagnostic entities.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Neurodevelopment contains windows of risk and resilience that open and close, probably at critical periods not yet well defined.

    “During neurodevelopment, periods of risk and opportunities for resilience open and close, likely at critical times that have yet to be well characterized.”
8 of 8

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • This approach aligns CBT mechanism research with intervention science and NIMH priorities such as RDoC because it is agnostic to treatment theory and can help elucidate biobehavioral markers reliably dissociable in patient subgroups versus healthy controls.

    “This approach aligns CBT mechanism research with the growing multidisciplinary field of intervention science as well as with NIMH priorities such as the Research Domain Criteria initiative (i.e, “RDoC”; Sanislow et al., 2010) since it is agnostic to treatment theory and can help elucidate biobehavioral markers that are reliably dissociable in patient subgroups as compared to healthy controls.”

    From United we stand: emphasizing commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies. (2013) · cites this paper as Sanislow et al., 2010

    Split into 2 atoms — 1 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), in its Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework matrix, has recently proposed the incorporation of a new Sensorimotor Systems domain, composed of subconstructs such as Motor Actions, Agency and Ownership and Habits.

    “The National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), in its Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework matrix [76 -79], has recently proposed the incorporation of a new Sensorimotor Systems domain, composed of sub­ constructs such as Motor Actions, Agency and Ownership and Habits [80 -82]”

    From Habit as a therapeutic component in psychological treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomised controlled feasibility study. (2026) · cites this paper as [79]

    The Abstract and Proposed Domains section (page numbers unavailable) describe the RDoC matrix of domains and constructs. But this paper lists five initial candidate domains, not a Sensorimotor Systems domain, and does not support the claimed addition or its named subconstructs. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Only recently sizeable multimodal normative brain developmental data have become available, with large prospective studies ongoing in Rotterdam, San Diego and Philadelphia.

    “The tools that we have for measuring brain functioning and connectivity are growing, but only recently sizeable multimodal normative brain developmental data have become available, with large prospective studies ongoing in Rotterdam (68), San Diego (69) and Philadelphia (70).”

    From Pediatric psychopharmacology: Too much or too little? (2013) · cites this paper as [70]

    The Neurodevelopment section discusses the importance of developmental information for psychopathology research, but does not describe sizeable multimodal normative brain datasets or prospective studies in Rotterdam, San Diego, or Philadelphia. Searches for those locations and for multimodal normative developmental data found no supporting passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.73)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Insel, T., Cuthbert, B., Garvey, M., Heinssen, R., Kozak, M., Pine, D. S., . . . Wang, P. (2010). Research Domain Criteria (RDoC): Developing a valid diagnostic framework for research on mental disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167, 748 -751.
  2. Kraepelin, E. (1987). Dementia praecox (J. Cutting & M. Shepherd, Trans.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1896)
  3. Winters, K. C., Weintraub, S., & Neale, J. M. (1981). Validity of MMPI code types in identifying DSM-III schizophrenics. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49, 486 -487.

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Authors
Sanislow, C. A., Pine, D. S., Quinn, K. J., Kozak, M. J., Garvey, M. A., Heinssen, R. K., Wang, P. S.-E., & Cuthbert, B. N.
Affiliations
  • Wesleyan University (US)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • Office of the Director (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2010-11
Volume
119
Issue
4
Pages
631-639
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
DOI
10.1037/a0020909
OpenAlex
W2123266065
Cited by
793
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 53 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 69 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 74 · 2015: 89 · 2014: 59 · 2013: 66 · 2012: 48
FWCI
363.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Wesleyan University Digital Collections (Wesleyan University) (submittedVersion)
  • Wesleyan University Digital Collections (Wesleyan University) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
  • Berkley Law Scholarship Repository (University of California, Berkeley) (submittedVersion)
  • WESLEYAN
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, psychobiology, diagnostic categories, levels of analysis, etiology of mental disorders
MeSH terms
Mental Disorders, Humans, Psychopathology, Research

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