Making the leap: From experimental psychopathology to clinical trials

Abstract

One important aim of experimental psychopathology research is to inform development of new interventions derived from basic science. However, testing whether a newly developed intervention is in fact effective requires moving from experimental studies to clinical trials, and this transition can pose many problems. These problems stem not only from the inherent complexity of even the simplest clinical trial but also from differences between experimental psychopathology and clinical trial research that may not always be obvious to researchers immersed in only one of these specialist areas. In this paper, we explore some of these complexities and discuss when a clinical trial may, or may not, be the best next step in the translational process. We then consider some of the ins and outs of clinical trials methodology, from design and planning through to reporting, with the aim of providing a guide for experimental psychopathology researchers thinking of making the leap from their experimental studies of mechanisms to clinical trials of novel interventions. We hope that this can help increase the chance of successful clinical translation and novel treatment development from basic science.

To sleep or not to sleep, that is the question: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of post-trauma sleep on intrusive memories of analog trauma

“…Relatedly, research indicates that disturbed sleep may have a different impact on emotional processing in those with mental disorders than in healthy individuals, thus putting into question whether findings from healthy samples can be generalized to clinical populations (Van Someren, 2021). Bridging the gap between experimental research in the lab and clinical research in the field thus constitutes an important next step (Blackwell & Woud, 2022), for which the present review may provide a base.…”

Cognitive Bias Modification bei Symptomen der Posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung

“…bor verwendet werden können, aber dennoch Symptome aus dem Bereich der PTBS hervorrufen, wie zum Beispiel belastende Intrusionen (z.B. Trauma-Film-Paradigma) [James et al, 2016] (für eine Diskussion zum Übergang von experimentellen zu klinischen Studien siehe Blackwell und Woud [2022]).…”