Psychotherapy and Mental Health as a Psychological Science Discipline

Abstract

The psychological sciences offer a large spectrum of theories, principles, and methodological approaches to understand mental health, normal and abnormal functions and behaviours, as well as mental disorders. Based on continued research progress, psychology has derived a wide range of effective interventions for behaviour change and the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of mental disorders. Thus, psychology and clinical psychology in particular should be regarded as the ‘mother' science for psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic practice. This paper provides a selective overview of the scope, strengths and gaps in psychological research to depict the advances needed to inform future research agendas on mental disorders and psychological interventions in the context of psychotherapy. Most maladaptive health behaviours and mental disorders can be conceptualised as the result of developmental dysfunctions of psychological functions and processes, and as associated neurobiological and genetic processes in interaction with behaviour and the environment. An integrative translational model, linking basic and experimental research with clinical research and population-based prospective-longitudinal studies is proposed for improving identification of critical core vulnerability and risk factors and core pathogenic mechanisms. The proposed framework is expected to allow a more stringent delineation of targeted preventive and therapeutic psychological interventions and an optimisation and better understanding of cognitive-behavioural therapies and other psychological interventions. Based on a European consultation process, a ‘Science of Behaviour Change' programme with the promise of improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention of both health-risk behaviour constellations and mental disorders is proposed.