Experimental Psychopathology and Clinical Psychology: An Integrative Model to Guide Clinical Science and Practice
Abstract
Experimental psychopathology has elucidated mechanisms underlying various forms of psychopathology and has contributed to the continuous updating and generation of mechanistically-focused and evidence-based psychological treatments. Clinical psychology is an applied field of psychology concerned with the assessment and treatment of psychological disorders and behavioral problems. Despite the notable commonality in their focus upon psychological dysfunction, conceptual frameworks that guide their integration are surprisingly scarce. Clinical science and practice would benefit greatly from the combined strengths of each discipline. In this review, we begin by defining experimental psychopathology and clinical psychology, we present arguments for greater integration between them, and we propose a model to guide the integration of experimental psychopathology-informed science into clinical practice, illustrating the relevance of the model by drawing upon the seminal research on fear conditioning and extinction and other experimental paradigms.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
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?
The non-significant main effects of the intervention on the majority of anxiety outcomes may be due to the relatively low-intensity intervention and the unselected non-clinical sample.
“The non-significant main effects of the intervention on the majority of anxiety outcomes could be due to a number of factors. First, following methods typical in experimental psychopathology, we employed a relatively low-intensity intervention and evaluated the effects in an unselected non-clinical sample (Waters et al., 2017).”
From Aversive response to uncertainty as a mediator for the effect of a mindfulness intervention on symptoms of anxiety (2022) · cites this paper as Waters et al., 2017
Cites
Mediators and Mechanisms of Change in Psychotherapy Research
Kazdin, A. E. (2007) · Annual Review of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.3.022806.091432 · Cited by 2,504 · cited 1× · see citing works
“By addressing mechanisms that underlie psychopathology, EP can provide evidence of causal relations that can inform theory development (Kazdin, 2007).”
BackgroundMaximizing exposure therapy: An inhibitory learning approach
Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2014.04.006 · Cited by 2,339 · cited 2× · see citing works
“, 2001), anxiety disorders more generally (Mineka & Zinbarg, 2006) and models of learning through exposure therapy (Craske et al., 2014).”
BackgroundSelf-citationHoffman, S. G., & Smits, J. A. J. (2008) · The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.4088/jcp.v69n0415 · Cited by 1,420 · see citing works
Single-Case Intervention Research Design Standards
Kratochwill, T. R., Hitchcock, J. H., Horner, R. H., Levin, J. R., Odom, S. L., Rindskopf, D. M., & Shadish, W. R. (2013) · Remedial and Special Education · doi:10.1177/0741932512452794 · Cited by 1,331 · see citing works
Classical fear-conditioning in the anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis
Lissek, S., Powers, A. S., McClure, E. B., Phelps, E. A., Woldehawariat, G., Grillon, C., & Pine, D. S. (2005) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2004.10.007 · Cited by 1,034 · see citing works
Mineka, S., & Zinbarg, R. (2006) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.61.1.10 · Cited by 929 · see citing works
Anxiety Disorders During Childhood and Adolescence: Origins and Treatment
Rapee, R. M., Schniering, C. A., & Hudson, J. L. (2009) · Annual Review of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.032408.153628 · Cited by 821 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Nevertheless, approximately 40-50% of anxious patients are classified as ‘non-responders’, meaning that they do not achieve full remission (Rapee et al., 2009; Loerinc et al., 2015) and almost half of those who do respond relapse over the ensuing years after treatment (Ginsburg et al.”
BackgroundA survey of psychologists’ attitudes towards and utilization of exposure therapy for PTSD
Becker, C. B., Zayfert, C., & Anderson, E. (2004) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(03)00138-4 · Cited by 759 · see citing works
Treadway, M. T., Bossaller, N. A., Shelton, R. C., & Zald, D. H. (2012) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0028813 · Cited by 733 · see citing works
Duits, P., Cath, D. C., Lissek, S., Hox, J. J., Hamm, A. O., Engelhard, I. M., van den Hout, M. A., & Baas, J. M. P. (2015) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.22353 · Cited by 726 · see citing works
Chorpita, B. F., & Daleiden, E. L. (2009) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0014565 · Cited by 687 · see citing works
Gillan, C. M., Papmeyer, M., Morein-Zamir, S., Sahakian, B. J., Fineberg, N. A., Robbins, T. W., & de Wit, S. (2011) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10071062 · Cited by 609 · see citing works
Improving access to psychological therapy: initial evaluation of two UK demonstration sites
Clark, D. M., Layard, R., Smithies, R., Richards, D. A., Suckling, R., & Wright, B. (2009) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.07.010 · Cited by 599 · see citing works
Efficacy of treatments for anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis
Bandelow, B., Reitt, M., Röver, C., Michaelis, S., Görlich, Y., & Wedekind, D. (2015) · International Clinical Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1097/yic.0000000000000078 · Cited by 555 · see citing works
Wacker, J., Dillon, D. G., & Pizzagalli, D. A. (2009) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.01.058 · Cited by 405 · see citing works
van Minnen, A., Hendriks, L., & Olff, M. (2010) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.12.003 · Cited by 282 · see citing works
The Cruelest Cure? Ethical Issues in the Implementation of Exposure-Based Treatments
Olatunji, B. O., Deacon, B. J., & Abramowitz, J. S. (2009) · Cognitive and Behavioral Practice · doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.07.003 · Cited by 273 · see citing works
Chorpita, B. F., Research Network on Youth Mental Health, Weisz, J. R., Daleiden, E. L., Schoenwald, S. K., Palinkas, L. A., Miranda, J., Higa-McMillan, C. K., Nakamura, B. J., Austin, A. A., et al. (2013) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0034200 · Cited by 241 · see citing works
Brooks, S., Prince, A., Stahl, D., Campbell, I. C., & Treasure, J. (2011) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.09.006 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Attention bias modification treatment for pediatric anxiety disorders: A randomized controlled trial
Eldar, S., Apter, A., Lotan, D., Edgar, K. P., Naim, R., Fox, N. A., Pine, D. S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2012) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11060886 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Carlbring, P., Apelstrand, M., Sehlin, H., Amir, N., Rousseau, A., Hofmann, S. G., & Andersson, G. (2012) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/1471-244x-12-66 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
Psychological treatments: A call for mental-health science
Holmes, E. A., Craske, M. G., & Graybiel, A. M. (2014) · Nature · doi:10.1038/511287a · Cited by 214 · see citing works
Self-citationClarke, P. J., Notebaert, L., & MacLeod, C. (2014) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/1471-244x-14-8 · Cited by 188 · see citing works
Deacon, B., Kemp, J. J., Dixon, L. J., Sy, J. T., Farrell, N. R., & Zhang, A. R. (2013) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2013.06.006 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Craske, M. G., Rose, R. D., Lang, A., Welch, S. S., Campbell-Sills, L., Sullivan, G., Sherbourne, C., Bystritsky, A., Stein, M. B., & Roy-Byrne, P. P. (2009) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.20542 · Cited by 170 · cited 4× · see citing works
“has resulted in principles of EP being incorporated into randomized controlled trials with treatment seeking samples, such as the methods of exposure therapy incorporated into the treatment of anxiety in primary care (Craske et al., 2009).”
MethodInfluentialSelf-citationDoes habituation matter? Emotional processing theory and exposure therapy for acrophobia
Baker, A., Mystkowski, J., Culver, N., Yi, R., Mortazavi, A., & Craske, M. G. (2010) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2010.07.009 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Self-citationVirtual reality exposure in anxiety disorders: Impact on psychophysiological reactivity
Diemer, J., Mühlberger, A., Pauli, P., & Zwanzger, P. (2014) · The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.3109/15622975.2014.892632 · Cited by 146 · see citing works
The Use of Virtual Reality in Acrophobia Research and Treatment
Coelho, C. M., Waters, A. M., Hine, T. J., & Wallis, G. (2009) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2009.01.014 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Cognitive Processes in Extinction: Figure 1
Lovibond, P. F. (2004) · Learning & Memory · doi:10.1101/lm.79604 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Chorpita, B. F., Bernstein, A., & Daleiden, E. L. (2011) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0023982 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Does D-cycloserine enhance exposure therapy for anxiety disorders in humans? A meta-analysis
Rodrigues, H., Figueira, I., Lopes, A., Gonçalves, R., Mendlowicz, M. V., Coutinho, E. S. F., & Ventura, P. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093519 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Oar, E. L., Farrell, L. J., Waters, A. M., Conlon, E. G., & Ollendick, T. H. (2015) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2015.08.002 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Waters, A. M., & Kershaw, R. (2015) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2014.11.010 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Self-citationRidout, N., Matharu, M., Sanders, E., & Wallis, D. J. (2015) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2015.06.030 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Papenfuss, I., Lommen, M. J. J., Huisman, M., & Ostafin, B. D. (2022) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.06.014 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
- Authors
- Waters, A. M., LeBeau, R. T., & Craske, M. G.
- Affiliations
- Griffith University (AU)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- Waters, Allison M.
- Venue
- Psychopathology Review
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2016-02-21
- Volume
- a4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 112-128
- ISSN
- 2051-8315 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2325496824
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 3.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychopathology Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- experimental psychopathology, clinical psychology, integration of research and practice, evidence-based psychotherapy, fear conditioning, extinction
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
