Symptoms as Black Boxes: Time to Look Inside the Box

Abstract

In our original article (this issue, p. 323), we argued that focusing research on individual symptoms of psychopathology might provide valuable information about their underlying nature and result in better classification systems, explanations, and treatment. To this end, we formulated five core questions that were intended to guide subsequent research and symptom conceptualizations in the psychopathology domain. In this article, we respond to two commentaries on our article. We conclude that it is time to open the black box of symptoms and to take seriously their status as complex constructs.

Keywords

symptoms classification psychopathology mental disorders

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