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Translating RDoC to real-world impact in developmental psychopathology: A neurodevelopmental framework for application of mental health risk calculators

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2021

Leigha A. MacNeill*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Norrina B. Allen
Affiliation:
Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
Roshaye B. Poleon
Affiliation:
Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Teresa Vargas
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
K. Juston Osborne
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Katherine S. F. Damme
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Deanna M. Barch
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Sheila Krogh-Jespersen
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Ashley N. Nielsen
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Elizabeth S. Norton
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Christopher D. Smyser
Affiliation:
Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Cynthia E. Rogers
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Joan L. Luby
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Vijay A. Mittal
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Lauren S. Wakschlag
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
*
Author for Correspondence: Leigha MacNeill, PhD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N. St. Clair St., Suite 1900, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; E-mail: leigha.macneill@northwestern.edu

Abstract

The National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework has prompted a paradigm shift from categorical psychiatric disorders to considering multiple levels of vulnerability for probabilistic risk of disorder. However, the lack of neurodevelopmentally based tools for clinical decision making has limited the real-world impact of the RDoC. Integration with developmental psychopathology principles and statistical methods actualize the clinical implementation of RDoC to inform neurodevelopmental risk. In this conceptual paper, we introduce the probabilistic mental health risk calculator as an innovation for such translation and lay out a research agenda for generating an RDoC- and developmentally informed paradigm that could be applied to predict a range of developmental psychopathologies from early childhood to young adulthood. We discuss methods that weigh the incremental utility for prediction based on intensity and burden of assessment, the addition of developmental change patterns, considerations for assessing outcomes, and integrative data approaches. Throughout, we illustrate the risk calculator approach with different neurodevelopmental pathways and phenotypes. Finally, we discuss real-world implementation of these methods for improving early identification and prevention of developmental psychopathology. We propose that mental health risk calculators can build a needed bridge between the RDoC multiple units of analysis and developmental science.

Information

Type
Special Issue Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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