METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOPATHOLOGY RESEARCH

We present an overview of methodological issues involved in conducting psychopathology research, including conceptual, analytic, and interpr etive considerations. Research issues germane to structured diagnostic interviewing, comorbidity of mental disorders, and ascertainment and sampling are reviewed. Further, the problem of specificity (with respe ct to disorder, to differential deficit, and to time) is discussed. Sp ecific issues concerning risk vs protective factors, conducting resear ch with special populations, and the continuity of abnormal and normal functioning are highlighted. Finally, various analogue strategies (hu man subclinical syndromes, experimental study of ''pathological'' proc esses in normals, animal models, and computer simulations) are critiqu ed. Our review documents many of the impressive methodological develop ments that have emerged in this field, and we hope our review stimulat es additional research that exploits recent methodological advances.