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10 Clinical Psychology Research Topics to Explore

Whether you’re working toward a PsyD or a PhD in Clinical Psychology , landing on a research paper that will sustain your interest throughout your doctoral program can be both thrilling and challenging.

Should you go with a niche you know well or branch out to another psychology specialization ? Should you choose a research topic you’re passionate about or opt for something more topical and needed in the broader realm of behavioral and mental health?

Only you can answer these questions—however, this blog may provide you with some inspiration and direction. Let’s walk through 10 of the most fascinating clinical psychology research topics and how they might bring you closer to your educational and professional objectives.

Explore Clinical Psychology Programs

10 Emerging Research Topics in Clinical Psychology

One of the benefits of clinical psychology is that it’s far from a static field.

With each passing year, we gain more and more insight into the brain and how it affects behavior. In the last few years alone, for example, we’ve obtained a clearer picture of the negative effects of digital media on mental health and behavior. But we’ve also seen how digital media (specifically, mobile apps) can enhance mental health when used correctly. 1

Put simply, clinical psychology is a dynamic, exhilarating realm with seemingly boundless possibilities for further research.

Nonetheless, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when settling on a clinical psychology research paper topic, especially when it’s one that you may be intimate with for years. To that end, consider these top 10 psychology topics to get you started in your research area:

#1. Mental Health Technology and Digital Interventions

The pandemic dramatically altered how healthcare practitioners interact with their patients and clients. Whereas psychotherapy and other forms of counseling were once performed almost exclusively in person, COVID-19 turned mental telehealth into our new reality.

But what might the long-term effects of this be? And will it persist as we march into the future?

Exploring the impact of digital mental health interventions (such as apps, other digital tools, and teleconferences) on well-being may open up a world of possible clinical psychology research topics and questions. 2 For instance, it may compel you to ask and research thoughts like:

How will AI alter mental health treatments, if at all?
Will digital mental health interventions ultimately cause or worsen isolation?
What are the downsides and perks of turning to social media for mental health information?
What is the relevance and value of in-person counseling sessions, post-pandemic?
Do clients feel safer in online sessions?
How can technology be employed to monitor patients outside of sessions?
How does mental telehealth affect the elderly?

Technology is rapidly and constantly changing. In other words, psychology and technology may be exciting subjects to explore as you work towards starting or completing your doctorate.

#2. Cross-Cultural and Global Mental Health

Globalization has its pros and cons. Studies indicate that while it may have its advantages, it can also heighten: 4

Discrimination

Each of these may have lasting effects, including increasing the risk of mental disorders like addiction, depression, and anxiety. In other words, it needs to be examined by experts from multiple standpoints.

As a doctoral student, you’re in an ideal spot to investigate this complex issue. It also emphasizes the need to gain cultural competency and a global mindset as a mental health practitioner, which is another possible research topic in and of itself.

#3. Neuropsychology and Cognitive Processes

The field of neuropsychology and cognitive processes continues to grow, particularly with the advent of digital tools and their ability to monitor cognition. 5 Exploring our advancing knowledge of how the brain affects behavior may allow you to look at a wide range of mental health disorders and the newest clinical interventions that are being made available, such as treating:

Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
Eating disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

#4. Trauma and Resilience Studies

Psychologists and psychiatrists ranging from Bessel Van der Kolk to Peter Levine forever altered our understanding of trauma. What was once thought of as a purely psychological issue is now understood as a bodily ailment. 6

But how might this look as we move forward in time and gain an enhanced understanding of neuroplasticity? Will somatics continue to play a role in treating trauma, or will technological advances send practitioners and their clients in a completely different direction?

You may be in a position to dig deeper and find out.

#5. Behavioral Health and Chronic Conditions

The unique relationship between chronic conditions and behavioral health is also up for exploration. Growing research indicates that chronic conditions (such as diabetes) can trigger mental health complications like depression, which can then perpetuate the cycle of the chronic condition.

This topic may be especially timely and relevant as it emphasizes the need to bridge the gap between a patient’s full healthcare team and points out flaws in treating chronic conditions solely from a pharmaceutical stance.

#6. Psychotherapy Process and Outcome Research

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and other forms of traditional “talk therapy” have been mainstays in the field of clinical psychology for decades. But this, too, isn’t static, especially as clients continue to look more toward body-based therapies and technology-fueled solutions, like: 8

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Neurofeedback therapy
Brainspotting
Somatic Experiencing (SE)

Is it too soon to know if these and other fresh forms of mental health treatments have the same staying power as, say, cognitive behavioral therapy? This might be optimal for exploration.

#7. Social Determinants of Mental Health

Social determinants of mental health (SDOMH) refer to the external circumstances that may impact an individual’s mental well-being and make them more vulnerable to conditions ranging from depression to addiction. SDOMH includes: 9

Unemployment
Social isolation
Urban crowding

How will SDOMH change as we move forward? Will it? Additionally, what is a clinical psychologist’s role in addressing these issues? What are the most effective strategies for working with those who have been disadvantaged?

This is an important topic as we, as a society, continue to address long-buried issues of race and class.

#8. Addiction and Substance Use Disorders

Addiction remains a prevalent topic: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects roughly 10.5% of the population, while 46.8 million Americans wrestled with a substance abuse disorder in 2022 alone. 10

Analyzing the most recent treatments and the future of treatments might not only pave the way for your own work after completion of your PsyD or PhD but also do a tremendous service for those who suffer from addiction (and their loved ones and families).

#9. Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Numerous studies indicate that kids and teens now have unusually high rates of: 11

Substance use

What plays into this? Is social media entirely to blame, or can social sites also be a resource for youngsters? And how can clinical psychologists tweak their methods to resonate with kids and teens?

These are just three of the many questions you might ask if you decide to adopt this topic for your clinical research.

#10. Ethics and Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology

Last but not least, consider the value of examining both the main and more subtle ethics and professional issues in clinical psychology at work today, such as:

Privacy
Informed consent
Cultural sensitivity
Termination of counseling

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From making a substantial difference in the lives of others to eradicating the stigmas that surround certain mental health conditions, clinical psychologists are in a prime position to fuel lasting change. Selecting a clinical research topic that ignites your spirit and works toward solving larger social issues takes this notion to the next level.

Alliant International University may get you closer to becoming the type of clinical psychologist who can make an impact. Whether you’re exploring our PsyD in Clinical Psychology or have just started college, we’re proud to offer doctoral programs for psychology that can help you excel in your future profession. And with online and in-person classes and training, you might find the flexibility your life requires.

Learn more about our clinical psychology programs today.

Sources:

“Exploring the Latest Frontiers in Clinical Psychology Research.” The Clinic, March 25, 2024. https://theclinicca.org/exploring-the-latest-frontiers-in-clinical-psyc… .
Park, Susanna Y, Chloe Nicksic Sigmon, and Debra Boeldt. “A Framework for the Implementation of Digital Mental Health Interventions: The Importance of Feasibility and Acceptability Research.” Cureus, September 19, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9580609/.
Bond, Raymond R., Maurice D. Mulvenna, Courtney Potts, Siobhan O’Neill, Edel Ennis, and John Torous. “Digital Transformation of Mental Health Services.” Nature News, August 22, 2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-023-00033-y.
“Cross-Cultural Mental Health.” CMHA British Columbia, July 14, 2016. https://bc.cmha.ca/documents/cross-cultural-mental-health-and-substance-use-2/.
“New Research Looks at the Promise of ‘Digital Neuropsychology.’” McLean News | New Research Looks at the Promise of “Digital Neuropsychology,” January 7, 2019. https://www.mcleanhospital.org/news/new-research-looks-promise-digital-neuropsychology.
Kuhfuß, Marie, Tobias Maldei, Andreas Hetmanek, and Nicola Baumann. “Somatic Experiencing - Effectiveness and Key Factors of a Body-Oriented Trauma Therapy: A Scoping Literature Review.” European journal of psychotraumatology, July 12, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8276649/.
“The Intersection of Mental Health and Chronic Disease.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2021/the-intersection-of-mental-health-and-chronic-disease.
Theodora Blanchfield, AMFT. “What to Know about Brainspotting Therapy.” Verywell Mind, January 16, 2024. https://www.verywellmind.com/brainspotting-therapy-definition-techniques-and-efficacy-5213947.
Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://www.ncsc.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/70864/Social-Determinants-of-Health.pdf.
“Alcohol and Drug Abuse Statistics (Facts about Addiction).” American Addiction Centers, April 4, 2024. https://americanaddictioncenters.org/addiction-statistics#.
“Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 8, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Psychology

100+ Psychology Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Research

If you’re starting out on the dissertation or thesis journey for your psychology degree, the very first challenge you’ll face is finding a solid research topic . In this post, we’ll help get the topic ideation process started by providing a meaty list of research ideas, spanning a range of psychology sub-disciplines. We’ll also look at some examples from actual theses and dissertations to give you an idea of what these look like in the real world.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps (which we’ll explain a little later). Therefore, it’s important to recognise that this post is only the first step in finding a high-quality psychology-centred research topic. To develop a research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this all sounds a bit intimidating, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course , which covers the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from A-Z. You can also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, have a look at our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Psychology-Related Topics

How to find a research topic (video)
Behavioural psychology
Clinical psychology
Cognitive psychology
Developmental psychology
Educational psychology
Forensic psychology
Social psychology
Sports psychology
Examples of actual dissertation topics
Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
Where to get extra help

How To Find A Research Topic

In the video below, we explain how to find suitable research ideas (in psychology or any field), and how to then refine those into well-articulated potential topics for your dissertation or thesis. We also discuss a few important evaluation criteria to help you make the right choice for your project.

Below you’ll find a list of research ideas to get your thinking started. Please note that these research topic ideas are intentionally broad and generic, so you will need to refine them a fair deal using the techniques we discussed in the video above.

We’ve grouped the topic ideas based on a few popular areas of psychology to make it a little easier for you to find something in your particular field of interest. That said, there is naturally some overlap between topics, so keep this in mind.

Research Ideas: Behavioural Psychology

Cultural variation in behaviour and mental health of adolescents during a disaster: a case study
The impact of parental drug use and risky behaviour on early child development
The effects of video game violence on aggressive behaviour among teenage boys in school
The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult risk-seeking behaviour
The impact of physical exercise on anxiety and health-harming behaviour
The relationship between personality traits and addiction behaviour
The effects of reinforcement schedules on decision-making and associative learning
The effects of daily mindfulness practice on stress and anxiety in middle-aged women
The use of behavioural interventions in the treatment of eating disorders in poorer communities
Understanding implicit cognitive processes involved in the over-consumption of fast food
The use of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcohol addiction treatment
The impact of extensive technology use in children on long-term attention and focus
The impact of social media on self-destructive behaviour and poor mental health outcomes
Exploring the role of sleep and sleep deprivation on healthy behaviours

Research Ideas: Clinical Psychology

The use of mindfulness-based approaches in the treatment of anxiety disorders among college students
The use of technology in the delivery of psychological services in war-torn countries
The effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy for borderline personality disorder
The use of virtual reality technology in the treatment of phobias and PTSD among war veterans
The role of childhood adversity on adult mental health in immigrant populations in the USA
The role of genetics and epigenetics in the development of bipolar disorder in Pakistani women: an integrative review
The effectiveness of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of social anxiety among hikikomori in Japan
The perception of healthcare workers and patients on the use of teletherapy for the delivery of psychological services
The impact of social support on mental health outcomes among single parents.
The effectiveness of integrative therapeutic approaches in the treatment of schizophrenia
The effectiveness of trauma-focused therapies on post-traumatic growth in domestic abuse survivors
The role and use of cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression among first-generation students
The effectiveness of family therapy in addressing childhood trauma and depression
The impact of cultural mistrust on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in culturally-diverse populations
The effectiveness of group therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms among survivors of sexual assault

Research Topic Kickstarter - Need Help Finding A Research Topic?

Research Ideas: Cognitive Psychology

The impact of lifelong aerobic exercise on cognitive function in old age
The effects of evening screen use on cognitive development in preschool children
The impact of sleep deprivation on decision-making among graduate students
The use of neuroimaging to understand the neural basis of memory retrieval
The effect of conservative religious homes on social functioning in LGBT+ adolescents
The role of positive emotions in working memory among high school learners
The neural basis of decision-making and problem-solving during undergraduate statistic assessments
The neural basis of language processing among adults learning English as a second language
The role of technological tools in improving working memory in older adults
The role of attention in emotional face processing among adult males
The impact of depression on cognitive function during ageing The impact of daily meditation and mindfulness practice on cognitive function
The relationship between increased protein intake and improved cognitive function
The effects of stress on cognitive function among final-year learners

Research Ideas: Developmental Psychology

The impact of maternal affection on cognitive, social, and emotional development
The effects of parenting styles on children’s executive function
The impact of late-night screen use on child development
The role of digital play on child development outcomes
Exploring the impact of poverty on early child development in Brazil
The trauma-informed care as moderating the impact of trauma on child development
Evaluating the relationship between peer relationship quality and child social development
The impact of child-targeted media and advertising on child behavioural development
The role of parental attachment in child resilience
The moderating impact of culture on bullying and child social development
The impact of single-parenting on child development in India
The impact of early educational interventions on child socio-emotional development
The impact of digital technology use on adolescent development and mental health
The impact of socioeconomic status on child executive function
The role of genetics and epigenetics on child neurodevelopmental outcomes linked to depression

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research paper topics for clinical psychology

Research Ideas: Educational Psychology

The relationship between self-regulated learning and academic performance in asynchronous versus synchronous learning environments
Exploring effective parental involvement strategies and their impact on student achievement
The role of intrinsic motivation in formative assessment in the classroom
The impact of classroom management and practice on student learning and behaviour
University students’ preference regarding online learning environments
The effects of gentrification on student achievement in traditionally poor neighbourhoods
The impact of teacher expectations and academic self-concept on K12 student mathematics performance
The use and effectiveness of game-based learning in a high school biology classroom
The impact of prejudice on the relationship between student motivation and academic performance among Black university students
The impact of culture on second language English student learning preferences
The effects of student self-efficacy and engagement on academic performance in secondary school mathematics
The role of metacognition in learning musicality in hip hop
The role of small group instruction on teacher efficacy and stress in early childhood education
The perception and use of multimedia among high school biology teachers in France
The use of augmented reality applications and its impact on student learning, motivation and attitude

Research Ideas: Forensic Psychology

The impact of trauma on the psychological functioning of police officers and first responders
Understanding cultural considerations during forensic psychological assessment and treatment of trauma
Ethical considerations of the use of AI in forensic psychology in the legal system
The psychological factors related to recidivism among white collar female offenders in the USA
The psychological factors related to false confessions among juveniles
Understanding the use of psychological assessment in the evaluation of eyewitness testimony in criminal courts in England
The impact of trauma on the reflective functioning of adult female sexual assault victims
The use and effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing recidivism among non-violent criminals
The impact of domestic violence on the mental health and forensic evaluation of men
Exploring the ethical considerations and use of behavioural analysis in the study of criminal behaviour
The use and limitations of neuropsychological assessment in forensic evaluations
The use of social media forensics in evaluating criminal behaviour in violent crimes
The racialised use of psychological assessment in the evaluation of competency to stand trial in Canada
Exploring the use and availability of virtual reality technologies in forensic psychology in Spain
The impact of motivational interviewing-based interventions among criminalized drug users

Research Ideas: Social Psychology

The impact of prejudice and discrimination on social behaviour among African immigrants in South Africa
The impact of social networks on behaviour and well-being among young adult females
The effects of social identity on non-conformity in University students
The effects of group dynamics on risk-seeking behaviour in adult men
The impact of social media on the quality of interpersonal relationships among high school learners
The impact of parental emotional intelligence on pro-social behaviour in children and adolescents
The effects of conformity and deviance on social attitudes and behaviour during a global recession
The effects of Tik Tok on social comparison and self-esteem among teenage girls
Understanding gendered differences in social influence and algorithms on impulsive decision-making
The effects of social support on mental health among healthcare workers in the UK
The effects of gender roles on social behaviour among trans teens
The impact of perceived power and social status on the behaviour of social media influencers
The impact of social norms on prosocial behaviour among women
The effects of community participation on aggression and violence in middle-aged men
The impact of culture and gender on social behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic

Research Ideas: Sports Psychology

The moderating role of cultural factors on the relationship between mental health and sports performance in team sports
The role of mindfulness practice in addressing stress and anxiety in young national athletes
The relationship between team cohesion and performance in cricket teams
The effect of transformational leadership on female sports teams in Canada
The effect of positive self-talk on athletic performance and motivation among Olympic athletes
The use and perception of hypnosis in New Zealand team sports Understanding stress and burnout in University team athletes
The efficacy of personalised nutrition and diet on athletic performance among sprinters
Exploring mental preparation techniques and their effect on athletic motivation and resilience among team-sport athletes
Exploring the perception and understanding of goal-setting characteristics on athletic performance among team coaches
The effects of motivational feedback on the performance of female gymnasts
The perception and use of visualization and imagery among coaches as a means to enhance sport performance
The impact of sports injuries on mental health and recovery in high school athletes
The moderating role of sleep on mental toughness and sports performance in Olympic athletes
The use and perception of technology in sports training and performance in little league softball

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Psychology-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic in psychology, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various psychology degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

Effects of a Patient Question Prompt List on Outpatient Palliative Care Appointments (McDarby, 2022)
The role of affect and exercise goals in physical activity engagement in younger and older adults (Stojanovic, 2022)
Lay Theories about Whether Emotion Helps or Hinders Reasoning and Well-being (Karnaze, 2022)
The effects of blast-induced traumatic brain injury on two transgenic models of Alzheimer’s Disease (Gann, 2020)
Understanding the parental mind: Examining the stability of parental reflective functioning across the birth of a child and associations with maternal mind-mindedness (Pitzen, 2021)
An investigation of ineffective ally behaviours (Collier, 2019)
Response Inhibition-Related Beta Power: Distinguishing Cognitively Intact Elders by Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease (Evans, 2021)
Recognition Memory of Extremely High-Frequency Words (Miller, 2019)
The Relationship between Dementia Caregiver Burden and Caregiver Communications in a Memory Clinic Setting (Martin, 2021)
Examination of Maternal Versus Paternal Ratings of Child Pre-Injury Functioning in Predicting Child Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (Sayer, 2021)
Electromyography As A Means of Predicting The Rubber Hand Illusion (Teaford, 2021)
Linking Diversity Climate and Feedback Seeking Through Interpersonal Processes and Race Effects (Flores, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are far more specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Topic Ideation

Still unsure about how to find the right topic for your research project? Check out our private coaching services , where we work with psychology students on a 1:1 basis to help them find the perfect topic.

10 Comments

Great insight

A very interesting site that offers a variety of options regarding research topics.

You’re most welcome

A good platform to get information

Amazing and interesting options 👌

Very useful but had not any field of research in health psychology

I feel honored going through this lovely stuff put together. Thank you so much

I need counseling psychology research topics

very empowering and insightful presentations. Can I be assisted in crafting a school psychology-related research topic about African context

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50+ Research Topics for Psychology Papers

How to Find Psychology Research Topics for Your Student Paper

Specific Branches of Psychology
Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy
Human Cognition
Human Development
Critique of Publications
Famous Experiments
Historical Figures
Specific Careers
Case Studies
Literature Reviews
Your Own Study/Experiment

Are you searching for a great topic for your psychology paper ? Sometimes it seems like coming up with topics of psychology research is more challenging than the actual research and writing. Fortunately, there are plenty of great places to find inspiration and the following list contains just a few ideas to help get you started.

Finding a solid topic is one of the most important steps when writing any type of paper. It can be particularly important when you are writing a psychology research paper or essay. Psychology is such a broad topic, so you want to find a topic that allows you to adequately cover the subject without becoming overwhelmed with information.

I can always tell when a student really cares about the topic they chose; it comes through in the writing. My advice is to choose a topic that genuinely interests you, so you’ll be more motivated to do thorough research.

In some cases, such as in a general psychology class, you might have the option to select any topic from within psychology's broad reach. Other instances, such as in an abnormal psychology course, might require you to write your paper on a specific subject such as a psychological disorder.

As you begin your search for a topic for your psychology paper, it is first important to consider the guidelines established by your instructor.

Research Topics Within Specific Branches of Psychology

The key to selecting a good topic for your psychology paper is to select something that is narrow enough to allow you to really focus on the subject, but not so narrow that it is difficult to find sources or information to write about.

One approach is to narrow your focus down to a subject within a specific branch of psychology. For example, you might start by deciding that you want to write a paper on some sort of social psychology topic. Next, you might narrow your focus down to how persuasion can be used to influence behavior .

Other social psychology topics you might consider include:

Prejudice and discrimination (i.e., homophobia, sexism, racism)
Social cognition
Person perception
Social control and cults
Persuasion, propaganda, and marketing
Attraction, romance, and love
Nonverbal communication
Prosocial behavior

Psychology Research Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy

Exploring a psychological disorder or a specific treatment modality can also be a good topic for a psychology paper. Some potential abnormal psychology topics include specific psychological disorders or particular treatment modalities, including:

Eating disorders
Borderline personality disorder
Seasonal affective disorder
Schizophrenia
Antisocial personality disorder
Profile a type of therapy (i.e., cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, psychoanalytic therapy)

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Cognition

Some of the possible topics you might explore in this area include thinking, language, intelligence, and decision-making. Other ideas might include:

False memories
Speech disorders
Problem-solving

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Development

In this area, you might opt to focus on issues pertinent to early childhood such as language development, social learning, or childhood attachment or you might instead opt to concentrate on issues that affect older adults such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Some other topics you might consider include:

Language acquisition
Media violence and children
Learning disabilities
Gender roles
Child abuse
Prenatal development
Parenting styles
Aspects of the aging process

Do a Critique of Publications Involving Psychology Research Topics

One option is to consider writing a critique paper of a published psychology book or academic journal article. For example, you might write a critical analysis of Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams or you might evaluate a more recent book such as Philip Zimbardo's The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil .

Professional and academic journals are also great places to find materials for a critique paper. Browse through the collection at your university library to find titles devoted to the subject that you are most interested in, then look through recent articles until you find one that grabs your attention.

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Famous Experiments

There have been many fascinating and groundbreaking experiments throughout the history of psychology, providing ample material for students looking for an interesting term paper topic. In your paper, you might choose to summarize the experiment, analyze the ethics of the research, or evaluate the implications of the study. Possible experiments that you might consider include:

The Milgram Obedience Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Little Albert Experiment
Pavlov's Conditioning Experiments
The Asch Conformity Experiment
Harlow's Rhesus Monkey Experiments

Topics of Psychology Research About Historical Figures

One of the simplest ways to find a great topic is to choose an interesting person in the history of psychology and write a paper about them. Your paper might focus on many different elements of the individual's life, such as their biography, professional history, theories, or influence on psychology.

While this type of paper may be historical in nature, there is no need for this assignment to be dry or boring. Psychology is full of fascinating figures rife with intriguing stories and anecdotes. Consider such famous individuals as Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Harry Harlow, or one of the many other eminent psychologists .

Psychology Research Topics About a Specific Career

Another possible topic, depending on the course in which you are enrolled, is to write about specific career paths within the field of psychology . This type of paper is especially appropriate if you are exploring different subtopics or considering which area interests you the most.

In your paper, you might opt to explore the typical duties of a psychologist, how much people working in these fields typically earn, and the different employment options that are available.

Topics of Psychology Research Involving Case Studies

One potentially interesting idea is to write a psychology case study of a particular individual or group of people. In this type of paper, you will provide an in-depth analysis of your subject, including a thorough biography.

Generally, you will also assess the person, often using a major psychological theory such as Piaget's stages of cognitive development or Erikson's eight-stage theory of human development . It is also important to note that your paper doesn't necessarily have to be about someone you know personally.

In fact, many professors encourage students to write case studies on historical figures or fictional characters from books, television programs, or films.

Psychology Research Topics Involving Literature Reviews

Another possibility that would work well for a number of psychology courses is to do a literature review of a specific topic within psychology. A literature review involves finding a variety of sources on a particular subject, then summarizing and reporting on what these sources have to say about the topic.

Literature reviews are generally found in the introduction of journal articles and other psychology papers , but this type of analysis also works well for a full-scale psychology term paper.

Topics of Psychology Research Based on Your Own Study or Experiment

Many psychology courses require students to design an actual psychological study or perform some type of experiment. In some cases, students simply devise the study and then imagine the possible results that might occur. In other situations, you may actually have the opportunity to collect data, analyze your findings, and write up your results.

Finding a topic for your study can be difficult, but there are plenty of great ways to come up with intriguing ideas. Start by considering your own interests as well as subjects you have studied in the past.

Online sources, newspaper articles, books , journal articles, and even your own class textbook are all great places to start searching for topics for your experiments and psychology term papers. Before you begin, learn more about how to conduct a psychology experiment .

What This Means For You

After looking at this brief list of possible topics for psychology papers, it is easy to see that psychology is a very broad and diverse subject. While this variety makes it possible to find a topic that really catches your interest, it can sometimes make it very difficult for some students to select a good topic.

If you are still stumped by your assignment, ask your instructor for suggestions and consider a few from this list for inspiration.

Hockenbury, SE & Nolan, SA. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers; 2014.
Santrock, JW. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

EDITORIAL article

Editorial: new ideas in: psychology for clinical settings 2022.

$\r\nGiulia Landi,$

1 Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2 Laboratory of Psychosomatics and Clinimetrics, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
3 Family Psychosomatics, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany

Editorial on the Research Topic New ideas in: psychology for clinical settings 2022

In the realm of clinical psychology, the quest for innovative and effective approaches is unending. The Research Topic “ New ideas in psychology for clinical settings 2022 ” of Frontiers in Psychology stands as a testament to this ongoing journey. The papers on this Research Topic not only illuminate diverse aspects of psychological research and practice but also converge on a pivotal theme: the need for a more individualized, context-specific, and systemic approach to mental health care. In this editorial, we delve into each contribution, unraveling how they collectively chart a course toward a more nuanced understanding and treatment of psychological disorders.

Individualized approaches in mental health

The manuscripts by Ong et al. and Cowden et al. highlight a significant shift in clinical psychology—toward more personalized and adaptable treatment methods. Ong et al.'s exploration of Process-Based Therapy (PBT) marks a significant evolution in cognitive-behavioral therapy. By incorporating principles of evolution science and idiographic methods, PBT offers a more flexible framework that can be customized to the unique psychological processes of individuals. This approach embodies the shift toward patient-centered models, acknowledging the diversity and complexity of human experiences in psychological disorders. In their manuscript, Ong et al.'s illustrate a case study demonstrating the application of PBT tools and principles. They focus on delivering treatment that is both informed by the process and centered around the individual, offering insights and recommendations for effectively implementing PBT in clinical settings. Similarly, Cowden et al.'s investigation into the distinction between depression and suffering unravels the intricate layers of psychological distress. The findings of their cross-sectional study emphasize the importance of discerning various facets of psychological distress, advocating for screening and addressing suffering as a form of distress that is distinct from depression. This nuanced understanding is crucial for clinicians, as it enables them to tailor interventions more precisely to individual patient needs.

Continuing with this theme of individualized care, Åkerlund et al. explored gender-specific auditory processing differences in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). They found that females with ASD showed an auditory advantage in unisensory processing, leading to fewer social communication issues, while multisensory processing led to more problems in social awareness. In males, a visual dominance correlated with increased social rigidity issues. The study suggests that the female advantage in unisensory processing could explain the higher prevalence of ASD in males. These findings are a call to action for clinicians and researchers alike to adopt gender-sensitive approaches in understanding and treating ASD, recognizing the diversity within the spectrum.

Systemic factors and trauma-informed approaches in clinical settings

The studies by Zeng et al. and Nikopaschos et al. turn the spotlight on the broader systemic factors influencing mental health outcomes. Zeng et al. examine the impact of inclusive leadership on reducing turnover intentions among Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from their large cross-sectional multicenter study reveal how organizational culture and leadership styles play a pivotal role in the mental wellbeing of healthcare professionals. This research underscores the need for fostering supportive and inclusive work environments in healthcare settings, which can mitigate psychological distress and enhance job satisfaction.

Nikopaschos et al.'s conducted a study on Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) in an adult acute inpatient mental health unit, demonstrating its effectiveness. Their research, spanning 4 years, showed that implementing two trauma-informed practices—Power Threat Meaning Framework Team Formulation and Psychological Stabilization training—significantly reduced self-harm, seclusion, and restraint use in this clinical setting. The model of TIC underscores the necessity of trauma-informed care not only in acute inpatient mental health settings but also in crisis and community mental health services. It advocates for a more compassionate and thorough approach to treating individuals in these contexts, emphasizing the need for care that is informed by an understanding of trauma.

Addressing the needs of special populations

Botschek et al. and Möhring et al. bring to light the importance of addressing the specific needs of diverse populations. Botschek et al.'s evaluated two multidimensional pediatric-psychosomatic inpatient treatments in Germany for disorders like pediatric dissociative, mood, and somatoform, along with chronic somatic conditions. Both treatments integrated individual and family therapy, along with group, art, music, and physiotherapy, but differed in approach: clinic A integrated psychodynamic and behavioral methods, while Clinic B focused on psychoanalysis and family dynamics. Results showed improvement in internalizing problems in both, but only Clinic A saw significant alexithymia reduction. Nevertheless, taking into account treatment duration, these differences became statistically insignificant. Results highlight that the duration of treatment might be as influential as the therapeutic approach itself. This finding brings to light the significance of time and continuity in therapeutic interventions, especially for young individuals navigating complex psychological issues.

Finally, Möhring et al. discuss an innovative counseling model for young adults from challenging backgrounds, particularly those who have dropped out of school. Their approach grounded in the theories of identity development and defense mechanisms as proposed by Vaillant and Erikson, effectively combines professional support with therapeutic environments. It demonstrates the effectiveness of adapting therapeutic environments to meet specific needs. This model, characterized by its low-threshold, destigmatizing, and flexible nature, offers a promising pathway to engage with and support marginalized or hard-to-reach populations effectively.

The “ New ideas in psychology for clinical settings 2022 ” issue collectively underscore the evolving landscape of clinical psychology. These studies pave the way for a more responsive, adaptable, and individualized approach to mental health care, emphasizing the need for patient-centered treatments, recognition of systemic factors, and the importance of trauma-informed care in various clinical settings. As the field of clinical psychology continues to evolve, the insights garnered from these studies will inform future research and practice, ensuring that psychological care becomes more inclusive, empathetic, and tailored to the diverse needs of individuals.

Author contributions

GL: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. BB: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. ET: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Keywords: editorial, individualized treatment, mental health, innovation, clinical psychology

Citation: Landi G, Brosig B and Tossani E (2024) Editorial: New ideas in: psychology for clinical settings 2022. Front. Psychol. 15:1356293. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1356293

Received: 15 December 2023; Accepted: 04 March 2024; Published: 13 March 2024.

Edited and reviewed by: Gianluca Castelnuovo , Catholic University of the Sacreid Heart, Italy

Copyright © 2024 Landi, Brosig and Tossani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Giulia Landi, giulia.landi7@unibo.it

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Clinical Psychology Dissertation Topics

Published by Owen Ingram at January 3rd, 2023 , Revised On August 11, 2023

Clinical psychology is a highly popular area of research for Masters and PhD nursing students. A well-thought-out and appropriate clinical psychology dissertation topic will address trending issues in the field of clinical psychology. You can develop a clinical psychology dissertation topic or idea by addressing a certain clinical experience.

If you are a nursing student looking for an intriguing topic in clinical psychology, you will find all the necessary information on this page. So without further ado, here is our selection of clinical psychology dissertation topics that you can choose from.

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Something is mesmerising about the human mind. By writing clinical psychology-based dissertation papers, students can engage in formally conducting research on a variety of topics, including intellect, personality, addiction, relationship dynamics, and so on. Use these clinical psychology dissertation topics to start your academic research now!

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How to find clinical psychology dissertation topics.

To find Clinical Psychology dissertation topics:

Study recent research in the field.
Focus on emerging therapies or disorders.
Address gaps in current literature.
Consider ethical and practical aspects.
Explore diverse populations or age groups.
Seek topics aligning with your passion and expertise.

200 Plus Psychology Research Paper Topics for Students

Psychology research holds an extraordinary power to unravel the human mind’s and behavior’s complexities. The key to unlocking this power lies in selecting the right research topic. It’s like picking up a topic that can lead to remarkable discoveries and profound insights. Speaking of which, this blog post presents over 200 awe-inspiring psychology research paper topics for students and researchers alike. Of course, a Best Affordable writing service can help, but these topics will allow you to handle your assignment independently. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Best Techniques for Choosing a Perfect Psychology Research Paper Topic

Here are some of the best techniques to help you in selecting the perfect psychology research topic:

Personal Interest

Think about what sparks your interest in psychology. Pick something that intrigues you, and you’d like to learn more about. This way, the research will be much more enjoyable and motivating for you to dig deeper.

Literature Review

Do a thorough search of the psychology literature to get a sense of all the research that has been done. See what questions have been answered, what hasn’t been answered, and what new and interesting trends have emerged. That’ll help you hone in on a topic that could be meaningful for the field.

Brainstorming

Try having some brainstorming sessions to come up with ideas for research topics. Jot down any thoughts that come to mind, even if they initially seem a bit out there. Look into different parts of psychology that interest you, like different theories or applications.

Consult with Professors and Peers

See if you can get advice from experienced teachers or mentors who know their stuff and can give you helpful tips and advice. Talking to other people in the same field as you can also help to give you new ideas and help you figure out what to research.

Feasibility and Resources

Consider whether you have the resources, data, and time for your chosen topic. Ensure you have the right research materials, data-gathering techniques, and ethical issues figured out for your topic.

Relevance and Impact

Think about how important your research topic is. Does it tackle a big problem or add something new to the field of psychology? Consider the effects and implications of your research to ensure it makes a real difference.

Narrowing Down

Once you’ve got some ideas for potential topics, look at them and see how they match up with factors like the amount of research you’d need to do, how realistic it is, and whether it fits with the goals you have for your studies. Pick something specific enough to get into it but broad enough that there’s a lot to explore.

200 Unique and Impressive Psychology Research Topics

Here’s the list of impressive psychology research topics:

Clinical Psychology Research Paper Topics

Clinical psychology is a fascinating science branch, even though it can be complicated. When it comes to picking research topics, students can find themselves stuck. But this list is the answer.

Clinical Contributions to the Psychology
Psychological and emotional processes of revenge
Compare two different psychological disorders
Comparison and contrast between two different types of therapy.
How people’s lives are affected by anxiety disorders
Disorder diagnosis and clinical treatment
Symptoms and effects of long-term childhood trauma
Impact of trauma-based disorders on daily life functioning
Emotional and sexual abuse, differences, and symptoms
Use and Effectiveness of online therapy in clinical psychology
Most effective treatments for treating childhood behavioral disorders
Influence of the aging process on mental illness
Psychological trauma due to fear of war
The trauma of living in a war
Identification and Early Intervention of Victims of recent trauma

Cognitive Psychology Research Paper Topics

If you are into cognitive psychology, check out this list of great research topics .

Choice behavior: Analytical Study
Speech perception and communication
Sentence processing and language acquisition
Short-term and long-term memory: Psychology of forgetting
Retrieval from memory, nature, and analysis
Visual and auditory imagery: Mechanisms and behaviors
Control and dynamics of the Memorial system
Reading and Understanding
Conceptual representation and categorization
Visual perception and optical behaviors
Speech and auditory recognition and characterization
Focus and division of attention
Cognitive processing
Collective and individual obedience–psychological explanation
Reasoning process – Study in comparison between adults and children
Why do some people stay young and some age prematurely
The ability to read and spell in children with disabilities

Developmental Psychology

Here’s another list of fascinating topics on the interesting subject of psychology.

Do the kids who eat breakfast do better in school than those who don’t?
Impact of parenting style on Children’s physical activity level
How lack of involvement or authoritarian parents’ behavior impacts their children’s activity level
Are bullied students more likely to have lower grades than their non-bullied peers?
Impacts of Bullying on a Child’s academic progress
Changes in short-term memory as we age
Do brain games like word searches, sudoku, and word matching help older adults sharpen their cognitive skills?
Does birth order have an impact on a child’s behaviour regarding procrastination ? Are firstborns less likely to procrastinate?

Evolutionary Psychology Research Paper Topics

Being a psychology student, you must know how the field has evolved. Here you go with the list:

History and Foundations of Psychology
Socio-family deprivation and institutionalization of minors
Pyschopedagogical study of gifted children
Authority and consequences as determining criteria for understanding and remembering stories of socio-conventional content
Personality and functions of the teacher according to non-directive orientations
Qualitative analysis: concept and possibilities through graphic language
Motivation, interest, and aptitude of the mentally handicapped toward sport
Assessment of thinking skills in situations of social interaction
Conditioning Dimensions in the Practice of school integration
Associative Competition in human learning
Students conceptions and conceptual change
A longitudinal study on the knowledge of the digestive process in Primary Education
Self-esteem and achievement Motivation of schoolchildren

Forensic Psychology Research Paper Topics

If forensic psychology is your interest, you can go with a topic from this list.

Juridical and Legal Psychology
Forensic Psychopathology
Advice and experts in the judicial field
Evaluation and Intervention in Separation and divorce processes
Evaluation and treatment of victims (domestic violence, sexual abuse, head injuries, etc.)
Evaluation, treatment, and Prognosis of Adult and juvenile delinquents
Assessment of Psychic Damage
psychology of testimony
Evaluation of Civil and labor capacity
Court internment.
Research and Training in Forensic Psychology
Guardianship and Custody of minors (capacity of the spouses)
Establish visiting regime and monitoring of it
Adoption and guardianship of minors.
The psychological effect of Separation or Divorce
Nullity processes
Deprivation of parental authority

Health Topics for Psychology Research Paper

Health and psychology are pretty much interrelated. Find out more about these research topics before you proceed to create a psychology research paper outline .

Health promotion and disease prevention
Reproductive Health
Children’s Health and the Role of Psychology
Health of adolescents
Patient care and Intervention with aesthetic requests
Historical evolution of the causal interpretation of the health-disease process
The Psychology of Health: the construction of a Field
Health Psychology: background, definition, and Perspectives
Health psychology: conceptual and historical aspects
Health psychology perspectives in the United States
Psychology and collective health
Psychological pathologies and their social dimension
Stress and social support
Psychological care for chronic patients
Overt disease at diagnosis
Risk factors. Stress. Personal variables
Adaptation and adjustment to the disease
Psychology of Death and Coping with Death

Neuropsychology Topics for Paper

Here you go with another list of hot psychology research topics related to neuropsychology:

Concept and History of Neuropsychology
Biological bases of higher mental processes
Diagnostic and evaluation techniques in Neuropsychology
Memory disturbances: Amnesia
Agnosia’s: Deficits in object recognition
Aphasias: Language disorders
Apraxia: Movement control disorders
Alternatives that you can currently use to maintain a healthy mind
Symptoms and treatment of motion sickness
The Intervention of virtual reality in Neurorehabilitation
Causes of acquired brain damage
Sleep Disorders and the Intervention of Neuropsychology
The effects of alcohol on the brain
Elastic epilepsy and its way of affecting the patient
Causes, symptoms, and treatments of Gelastic Epilepsy
Neuroeducation and its implementation in the classroom
Benefits of neuropsychological exercises in Patients and Society
Disorders in the Development of Oral and written language
Post-stroke depression and the Impact it leaves on the patient
The Mozart Effect and its Intervention in the Brain

Occupational Psychological Topics to Research

This one is a mildly touched area regarding psychology research. It means you have a greater chance of surprising your professor by choosing a topic from here.

Anxiety and its Impact on work performance
Work efficiency parameters from an emotional approach
Emotional effects of work stress
Variables of the personality of an individual with emotional disorders
Behavior and organizational development of a Worker
Perspectives of the Quality of working life and its effective organizational relationship
Methodology designed to promote the comprehensive development of personnel in a government company
Action plan to improve relations between senior managers and subordinates
Emotional marketing strategies to increase employee confidence
Sexual harassment at work: Causes and measures of prevention
Diversity, inclusion, and equity: How does it impact labor organizations
Work well-being and its influence
How to encourage employee motivation
Psychometric Evaluations in the Workplace
Measures to control work stress
Work Stress in Pakistan
Proposal of strategies for the selection, evaluation, and training by competencies
Incidences of psychosocial risks that affect the work performance of the subordinates

Analytical Psychology Research Paper Topics

What’s the Role of Analytics in Psychology? Find out this and more by researching a topic from this list.

Articulation of psychic opposites
The Individual process of naturalness of growth
The deployment of the self
Psychic transformation
Psychic functions in opposition
Jung as an Analytical psychologist
The Jungian Creative Unconscious
Opposites and self-regulation of the psyche

Applied Psychology Topics for Research

Research these topics and learn how psychology can do wonders for human beings.

How some background music in a work environment can contribute to higher productivity
What kind of prompts will inspire people to volunteer their time to charities
Strategies that work best to motivate workers
Research to find the treatment approach is most effective in reducing anxiety.
A program for the development of prosocial behaviors in kindergarten children
Collaborative episodes regulated by an academic peer in problem-solving
Functional analysis of the behavior
The economy from inter behaviorism
Inter behavioral analysis of contingencies (perspective)
Analysis of reading adjustment of deaf students

Behavioral Psychology Research Paper Topics

It’s very important to know what impacts people’s moods.

Psychological effects produced by the pandemic
Anxiety disorders
Mood disorders
Couple’s therapy
Youth Child Therapy
Innovative Technologies to Apply in Psychology
Internet addiction
Third generation therapies
Psychological evaluation
Statistics and psychometrics

Community Psychology Topics for Research

How important is psychology for the well-being of a community? Research on these topics and get to know them.

The benefits of putting a psychologist in Community Social Services
State of development, progress, and obstacles for the communal healing
The Psychology of Social Intervention as a conceptual framework
Definition and institutional background of the System of Social Services
Background and analysis of the insertion process of psychologists
Analysis of the policy construction process
The tension generated by care models and palliatives used in social policies
Tension regarding strategies participatory and empowering

Consumer Psychology Topics

There’s also a science behind a consumer preferring one product or one seller over the other. Find that out with these consumer psychology research topics.

Consumer behavior
A Strategic Model of Economic and Social Networks
Social network theory
Communication and power
Personal influence: the individual in the process of mass communication
Networks and groups: models of strategic formation
Structural Investigation of Supply Networks
The evolving brand logic: A service-dominant logic perspective
Consumer Co-creation in New Product Development

If you want to make a big splash in the field of psychology research, it all starts with choosing the right topic. Hopefully, this blog post was helpful in letting you know about some interesting topics for your psychology research. If you are still in sixes and sevens about how to write a psychology research paper, just count on the professional expertise of our writers to get you through.

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Exploring 200+ Psychology Topics to Research: Unlocking the Depths of the Mind

The world of psychology is as vast as the human mind itself. Delving into the intricate workings of the human psyche can be both fascinating. For students, academics, or anyone with a curious mind, choosing the right psychology topics to research is paramount. In this blog, we’ll navigate through the labyrinth of psychology topics, helping you find your way to a captivating and meaningful research endeavor.

How To Select Psychology Topics To Research?

Table of Contents

Follow Your Interests: Start with what you love. What aspects of human behavior or the mind fascinate you the most? It’s much easier to research something you’re passionate about.
Consider Relevance: Think about how your chosen topic fits into your academic or career goals. Does it relate to what you’re studying or the job you want? If it does, great!
Balance the Scope: Don’t pick a topic that’s too broad or too narrow. Find that sweet spot in the middle. You want a topic that’s focused enough to research effectively but not so narrow that there’s no existing information.
Explore Different Areas: Research the various branches of psychology, like cognitive, social, clinical, developmental, or biological psychology. See which one resonates with you the most.
Seek Advice: Talk to your professors, mentors, or peers. They can provide guidance and suggestions based on your interests and goals.

100+ Innovative For Students In 2023

200+ Popular Psychology Topics To Research: Category Wise

40+ cognitive psychology topics.

The role of working memory in problem-solving.
Cognitive effects of sleep deprivation.
Neural basis of attention and focus.
Influence of language on cognitive development.
Decision-making biases in economic behavior.
The psychology of learning and memory.
The impact of stress on cognitive performance.
Cognitive decline in aging populations.
Emotion and memory recall.
False memories and eyewitness testimony.
Cognitive processes in creativity.
Cognitive aspects of decision-making in healthcare.
The psychology of expertise and skill acquisition.
Cognitive factors in reading comprehension.
The role of schemas in information processing.
Cognitive development in infants.
Cognitive rehabilitation after brain injury.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and executive functions.
Neural mechanisms of perception and visual attention.
The psychology of problem-solving in artificial intelligence.
Cognitive aspects of mathematical reasoning.
Neural plasticity and cognitive recovery.
Cognitive load and its impact on learning.
Memory consolidation during sleep.
Attentional disorders and their impact on cognitive functioning.
The influence of music on cognitive processes.
Cognitive development in bilingual individuals.
Cognitive aspects of decision-making in criminal behavior.
Neural correlates of cognitive control.
The psychology of cognitive biases in politics.
Cognitive effects of mindfulness meditation.
The part working memory plays in academic success.
Cognitive processes in language acquisition.
Cognitive factors in problem gambling behavior.
The psychology of cognitive development in children with autism.
Cognitive aspects of spatial navigation.
Memory distortions and the courtroom.
Neural basis of cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive aspects of social perception.
Cognitive rehabilitation in Alzheimer’s disease.

40+ Social Psychology Research Topics

The impact of social media on self-esteem.
Groupthink and decision-making.
Stereotype threat in academic settings.
Bystander effect in emergencies.
Cross-cultural perspectives on conformity.
Online dating and self-presentation.
The psychology of social influence.
The role of empathy in prosocial behavior.
Social identity and intergroup relations.
Aggression and video game exposure.
Prejudice and discrimination in modern society.
The influence of social norms on behavior.
Attitudes and attitude change.
Social support and mental health.
Obedience to authority figures.
Social comparison and self-concept.
The psychology of attraction and relationships.
The bystander intervention model.
Body image and social media.
Political polarization and social psychology.
The psychology of fake news and misinformation.
Emotional contagion and social interactions.
Stereotyping in the workplace.
Consequences of cyberbullying.
The impact of group dynamics on creativity.
Gender roles and socialization.
The role of humor in social interactions.
Social factors in decision-making and risk-taking.
Altruism and volunteerism.
The psychology of leadership and authority.
Social exclusion and its effects on individuals.
The relationship between religion and prosocial behavior.
Social influence in marketing and advertising.
Online activism and social change.
The psychology of online communities and forums.
Attachment styles and adult relationships.
Social perceptions of beauty and attractiveness.
Social isolation’s negative consequences on mental health.
The psychology of public speaking anxiety.
The role of forgiveness in interpersonal relationships.

40+ Clinical Psychology Research Topics

Effects of childhood trauma on mental health in adults.
Efficacy of virtual therapy for treating anxiety disorders.
Exploring the genetics of schizophrenia.
Effects of mindfulness meditation on depression.
Cultural factors in the diagnosis of eating disorders.
Examining the link between sleep disorders and mood disorders.
Assessing the effectiveness of group therapy for substance abuse.
The role of attachment in borderline personality disorder.
Investigating the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Treating PTSD in veterans through exposure therapy.
Neurobiological basis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Parent-child relationships and their impact on conduct disorder.
Gender differences in the prevalence of depression.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder.
Psychopharmacology and treatment-resistant depression.
The psychology of self-harm and self-injury.
Internet addiction and its connection to mental health.
Assessing the efficacy of art therapy for PTSD.
Personality disorders and their impact on interpersonal relationships.
Evaluating the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating borderline personality disorder.
Factors contributing to the rise in adolescent depression.
Exploring the link between childhood abuse and dissociative identity disorder.
Cross-cultural perspectives on the diagnosis of ADHD.
The role of serotonin in mood disorders.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction in chronic pain management.
Impact of family dynamics on eating disorders in adolescents.
Examining the long-term effects of child neglect on adult mental health.
Psychosocial factors in the development of schizophrenia.
Gender dysphoria and psychological well-being.
The psychology of resilience in cancer patients.
Attachment styles and their influence on adult relationships.
Virtual reality exposure therapy for phobias.
Exploring the effectiveness of equine therapy for trauma survivors.
Autism spectrum disorders and early intervention.
Body image dissatisfaction and its link to eating disorders.
The psychological impact of chronic illness.
Cognitive rehabilitation in traumatic brain injury.
Sleep disorders in children and their impact on academic performance.
The role of social support in recovery from substance abuse.
Neuropsychological assessment in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.

40+ Developmental Psychology Research Topics

The impact of parental divorce on child development.
Adolescents’ self-identity and social media.
Long-term effects of early childhood attachment on adult relationships.
Gender identity development in children.
The influence of birth order on personality development.
The role of genetics in language development.
Autism spectrum disorder interventions for toddlers.
Adolescent peer pressure and substance abuse.
The impact of bullying on psychological development.
Sibling rivalry and its long-term effects.
Parenting styles and their influence on children’s behavior.
The development of moral reasoning in children.
Influence of cultural factors on child development.
Attachment theory and foster care outcomes.
The impact of technology on cognitive development in children.
Children’s understanding of death and grief.
Cognitive development in bilingual children.
The role of play in early childhood development.
Attachment disorders and interventions in adopted children.
The development of emotional intelligence in adolescents.
The impact of poverty on child development.
The relationship between nutrition and cognitive development.
Bullying prevention and intervention programs in schools.
The role of grandparents in child development.
Developmental aspects of sibling relationships.
Child prodigies and their psychological development.
Gender stereotypes and their influence on children’s aspirations.
The effects of early education on academic success.
Cognitive development in children with learning disabilities.
The impact of divorce on young adults’ romantic relationships.
Parent-child communication about sex education.
Adolescents’ body image and its influence on self-esteem.
Influence of peer relationships on early social development.
The role of extracurricular activities in adolescent development.
Long-term outcomes for children in same-sex parent families.
Cognitive development in children with ADHD.
The effects of early exposure to screens on cognitive development.
The role of attachment in adolescent mental health.
Identity development in multicultural children.

40+ Biological Psychology Research Topics

The neural basis of addiction and substance abuse.
The role of genetics in personality traits.
Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function.
Exploring the gut-brain connection and its impact on mental health.
Neural mechanisms of stress and its long-term effects.
The relationship between brain structure and intelligence.
The impact of exercise on brain health and cognition.
Neurobiological factors in eating disorders.
Neural pathways involved in fear and anxiety.
The influence of hormones on behavior and mood.
Neuroplasticity and its implications for recovery after brain injuries.
The biology of memory and amnesia.
Understanding the neurological basis of schizophrenia.
The role of neurotransmitters in depression.
The impact of aging on brain structure and function.
Neural mechanisms underlying aggression and violence.
Brain imaging techniques and their applications in research.
The effects of prenatal exposure to toxins on brain development.
Neurological aspects of autism spectrum disorders.
Brain changes associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The genetics of Alzheimer’s disease.
Neurobiology of consciousness and altered states of consciousness.
The role of the amygdala in emotional processing.
Neural mechanisms of sexual attraction and orientation.
The impact of nutrition on brain development and function.
Brain regions involved in decision-making and impulsivity.
Neurological factors in Tourette’s syndrome.
The biology of reward and motivation.
Neural correlates of empathy and social cognition.
Genetic predisposition to addiction.
The influence of hormones on maternal behavior.
The neurological basis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Adolescent brain development and the effects on behavior.
The prefrontal cortex’s function in executive tasks.
Linguistic disorders and language neuroscience.
Neuroinflammation’s effects on mental health.
Mechanisms in the brain that affect sensory perception.
Neurological and genetic influences on bipolar disorder.
The impact of persistent pain on brain development and function.
The endocannabinoid system’s function in controlling mood.

Research Methodology for Psychology Topics

Understanding various research methodologies is key to conducting a successful study. Whether you opt for experimental designs, surveys, case studies, or sophisticated data analysis, each method offers unique insights. Choose the methodology that aligns with your research questions and objectives, ensuring a robust and reliable study.

Resources for Psychology Research

In the digital age, a wealth of resources for psychology topics to research is at your fingertips. Utilize academic journals, databases, books, and online courses to enhance your understanding.

Engage with professional organizations and attend conferences to stay updated with the latest research trends and network with fellow enthusiasts.

Tips for Successful Psychology Topics for Research

Choose a Fascinating Topic: Select a research topic that genuinely interests you. Your passion and curiosity will drive your motivation and engagement throughout the research process.
Narrow Your Focus: Refine your research question to ensure it’s specific and manageable. A focused question will lead to more meaningful and in-depth findings.
Conduct a Thorough Literature Review: Familiarize yourself with existing research in your chosen area. This helps you build on prior knowledge and identify gaps in the literature.
Hypothesize and Predict: Develop clear hypotheses and predictions for your study. This sets the direction for your research and provides a framework for data collection and analysis.
Choose the Right Research Method: Select the research method that best suits your research question, whether it’s experiments, surveys, interviews, or case studies.
Ethical Considerations: Prioritize ethical guidelines in your research, including obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and avoiding harm to participants.
Sample Selection: Carefully choose your sample to make sure it’s representative of the population you’re studying. Consider factors like age, gender, and cultural diversity.
Data Collection: Collect data systematically and ensure its accuracy and reliability. Use well-established measurement tools when applicable.
Data Analysis: Employ appropriate statistical techniques to analyze your data. Make use of software like SPSS or R for thorough analysis.
Interpret Results Objectively: Avoid confirmation bias and interpret your results objectively, even if they don’t align with your initial hypotheses.
Discuss Limitations: Acknowledge the limitations of your study in your research paper. This demonstrates your awareness of potential weaknesses and strengthens your research’s credibility.
Contribute to the Field: Highlight the significance of your research and how it contributes to the broader field of psychology. What does it add to existing knowledge?
Write Clearly and Concisely: Communicate your findings in a clear, concise, and well-structured manner. Use APA or other relevant style guides for formatting.
Peer Review: Seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, or professors. Peer review can help identify blind spots and improve the quality of your work.
Stay Organized: Maintain detailed records of your research process, including notes, data, and references. Organization is key to successful research.
Time Management: Plan your research timeline carefully, allocating sufficient time for each stage, from literature review to data collection and analysis.
Persevere: Research often involves setbacks and challenges. Stay persistent, adapt when necessary, and remain dedicated to your research goals.
Publish and Share: Consider presenting your research at conferences and seek opportunities for publication in academic journals . Sharing your findings contributes to the advancement of the field.
Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest research trends and developments in psychology. Attend conferences and join professional organizations to stay connected with the academic community.
Collaborate: Don’t hesitate to collaborate with other researchers, as teamwork can lead to valuable insights and more significant research outcomes.

Choosing the psychology topics to research is akin to embarking on an adventure into the depths of the human mind. Each topic holds the potential to unravel mysteries, challenge assumptions, and make a meaningful impact on individuals and society.

As you venture into this realm, remember that your curiosity and dedication are your greatest assets. Embrace the journey, learn from every step, and let your research contribute to the ever-expanding tapestry of psychological knowledge. Happy researching!

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Psychology Research Paper Topics

In the list of psychology research paper topics below we have attempted to capture psychology’s vast and evolving nature in the 16 categories and more than 100 topics.

100+ Psychology Research Paper Topics

H istory of psychology.

History of Psychology
Psychology Before 1900
Psychology in the 20th Century
Psychology Into the 21st Century
Women and Minorities in Psychology

Mental Health

Agoraphobia
Alzheimer’s Disease
Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa (Eating Disorders)
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Borderline Personality Disorder
Conduct Disorder
Dissociative Disorders
Mental Retardation
Mood Disorders
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Attacks
Personality Disorders
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Psychopathology
Schizophrenia
Sexual Disorders
Somatization and Hypochondriasis
Substance Abuse

Psychology Research and Analytic Techniques

Statistical Techniques and Analysis
Nonexperimental Research Methods
Experimental Designs
Single-Subject Designs
Qualitative Research
Ethics of Psychological Research

Neuroscience

Biological Psychology
Neurotransmission
Traditional Neuroscience Research Methods
Imaging Techniques for the Localization of Brain Function
Drug Addiction
Behavioral Pharmacology

Sensory Processes and Perception

Psychophysics
States of Consciousness
Somatosensory Systems

Evolution and Behavior

Evolutionary Psychology
Evolutionary Perspectives on Mate Preferences
Animal Learning and Behavior
Animal Cognition
Comparative Psychology

Basic Learning Processes

Classical Conditioning
Recent Trends in Classical Conditioning
Taste-Aversion Learning
Operant Conditioning
Recent Trends in Operant Conditioning
Social Learning
Stimulus Equivalence

Individual Differences and Personality

Psychometrics
Testing and Assessment
Personality Development
Personality Psychology
Intelligence

Cognitive Psychology

Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
Repressed and Recovered Memory
Language and Language Development
Thinking and Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Artificial Intelligence

Developmental Psychology

Prenatal Development and Infancy
Childhood and Adolescence
Adulthood and Aging
Disabilities
Death, Dying, and Bereavement
Nature Versus Nurture

Social Psychology

Social Cognition
Attitudes and Attitude Change
Group Processes
Social Influence
The Nature of Love
Prejudice and Stereotyping

Health, Stress, and Coping

Health Psychology
Stress and Stressors
Coping Skills
Positive Psychology
Human Performance in Extreme Environments

Clinical Psychology

Abnormal Psychology
Ethics of Therapists
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Anxiety Disorders
Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Family Therapy
Pharmacotherapy
Forensic Clinical Psychology
Sexual Offending Behavior

Applied Psychology

Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Human Factors
Community Psychology
Sport Psychology
Environmental Psychology
Psychology and the Law
Applied Behavior Analysis
Organizational Behavior Management

Human Diversity

Gender and Sexual Orientation
Multiple Axes of Human Diversity
Psychology and Religion
Cross-Cultural Psychology and Research
International Psychology

Assessment and Psychotherapy

Assessment of Mental Health in Older Adults
Behavior Therapy
Behavioral Medicine
Biofeedback
Child Sexual Abuse
Classifying Mental Disorders
Clinical Assessment
Cognitive Therapy
Community Mental Health
Constructivist Psychotherapies
Coping with Stress
Couples Therapy
Depression—Applied Aspects
Domestic Violence Intervention
Meditation and the Relaxation Response
Personality Assessment
Premenstrual Syndrome Treatment
Psychoanalysis
Psychopharmacology
Sexual Dysfunction Therapy
Standards for Psychotherapy
Support Groups

Browse More Psychology Research Paper Topics:

Applied Behavior Analysis Research Paper Topics
Biological Psychology Research Paper Topics
Clinical Psychology Research Paper Topics
Cognitive Psychology Research Paper Topics
Community Psychology Research Paper Topics
Comparative Psychology Research Paper Topics
Consumer Psychology Research Paper Topics
Counseling Psychology Research Paper Topics
Evolutionary Psychology Research Paper Topics
School Psychology Research Paper Topics

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For example, the early years of the 20th century witnessed the development and popularization of the now classic “schools of psychology” such as structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt psychology, and behaviorism. World War II and the Korean War spurred the development of modern clinical psychology. In the middle of the 20th century, individual schools rose to prominence and tended to dominate psychological research and theorizing. These dominant schools often clashed with clinical psychology. For example, disagreements between behaviorists and clinicians, which have their roots in the 1940s and 1950s, still persist.

Toward the end of the 1960s, the nature of the field began to change, and the face of modern psychology was forever altered. First, Ulrich Neisser’s 1967 book, Cognitive Psychology, ushered in the “cognitive revolution” and put behaviorism on the decline. Technological advances in computer technology, which allowed researchers to simulate human thought and memory processes and to create images of neurological processes, played an inestimable role in modern psychology’s metamorphosis. Likewise, advances in social concern and action increased psychologists’ awareness of psychology’s diversity and its ability to make significant contributions in these areas. To be sure, the face of contemporary psychology was changing drastically. In fact, in 1992 former American Psychological Association (APA) president George A. Miller believed that psychology had become “an intellectual zoo” (p. 40). Clearly, that situation has not changed, as psychology is evolving in the 21st century.

We believe that our choice of traditional and cutting-edge research paper topics reflects contemporary psychology’s diverse nature. For example, the “traditional” research paper topics include the following:

The cutting-edge research paper topics include the following:

Conducting Research on the History of Psychology

Browse examples of psychology research papers to find sample research papers on psychology topics. Whether the research paper deals with a traditional topic or a cutting-edge topic, you will find that it presents the materials in a decidedly contemporary manner. We hope that students will enjoy reading the research papers on different topics in psychology as much as we have enjoyed collecting them for you.

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Psychology Research Paper Topics

In the list of psychology research paper topics below we have attempted to capture psychology’s vast and evolving nature in the 16 categories and more than 100 topics.

100+ Psychology Research Paper Topics

Research Paper Topics in History of Psychology

Psychology Before 1900
Psychology in the 20th Century
Psychology Into the 21st Century
Women and Minorities in Psychology
Conducting Research on the History of Psychology

Research Paper Topics in Research Methodology and Analytic Techniques in Psychology

Statistical Techniques and Analysis
Nonexperimental Research Methods
Experimental Designs
Single-Subject Designs
Qualitative Research
Ethics of Psychological Research

Neuroscience Research Paper Topics

Biological Psychology
Neurotransmission
Traditional Neuroscience Research Methods
Imaging Techniques for the Localization of Brain Function
Drugs and Behavior
Behavioral Pharmacology

Research Paper Topics in Sensory Processes and Perception

Psychophysics
States of Consciousness
Somatosensory Systems

Research Paper Topics in Evolution and Behavior

Evolutionary Psychology: The Impact of Evolution on Human Behavior
Evolutionary Perspectives on Mate Preferences
Animal Learning and Behavior
Animal Cognition
Comparative Psychology

Research Paper Topics in Basic Learning Processes

Classical Conditioning
Recent Trends in Classical Conditioning
Taste-Aversion Learning
Operant Conditioning
Recent Trends in Operant Conditioning
Social Learning
Stimulus Equivalence

Research Paper Topics in Individual Differences and Personality

Psychometrics
Testing and Assessment
Personality Development
Personality Psychology
Intelligence
Motivation and Emotion

Cognitive Psychology Research Paper Topics

Memory: A Look Into the Past, Present, and Future
Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
Repressed and Recovered Memory
Language and Language Development
Thinking and Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Artificial Intelligence

Developmental Psychology Research Paper Topics

Prenatal Development and Infancy
Childhood and Adolescence
Adulthood and Aging: Perspectives on Adult Development
Disabilities
Death, Dying, and Bereavement
Nature Versus Nurture
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Myth or Mental Disorder?

Social Psychology Research Paper Topics

Social Cognition
Attitudes and Attitude Change
Group Processes
Social Influence
The Nature of Love
Prejudice and Stereotyping
Leadership: Theory and Practice

Research Paper Topics in Health, Stress, and Coping

Health Psychology
Stress and Stressors
Coping Skills
Positive Psychology
Human Performance in Extreme Environments

Behavior Disorders and Clinical Psychology Research Paper Topics

Abnormal Psychology
Ethics of Therapists
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Anxiety Disorders
Dissociative Disorders
Personality Disorders
Mood Disorders: An Overview
Schizophrenia: Understanding a Split Mind
Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Family Therapy and Therapy With Children
Pharmacotherapy
Forensic Clinical Psychology: Sensationalism and Reality
Sexual Offending Behavior

Applied Psychology Research Paper Topics

Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Human Factors
Community Psychology
Sport Psychology
Environmental Psychology
Psychology and the Law
Applied Behavior Analysis
Organizational Behavior Management

Research Paper Topics in Human Diversity

Gender and Sexual Orientation
Multiple Axes of Human Diversity
Psychology and Religion
Cross-Cultural Psychology and Research
International Psychology

Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Agoraphobia
Alcohol Problems
Alzheimer’s Disease
Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Borderline Personality Disorder
Classifying Mental Disorders: Nontraditional Approaches
Conduct Disorder
Dependent Personality
Mental Retardation and Mental Health
Mood Disorders
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Panic Attacks
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Psychopathology
Schizophrenia
Sexual Disorders
Somatization and Hypochondriasis
Substance Abuse

Assessment and Psychotherapy Research Paper Topics

Assessment of Mental Health in Older Adults
Behavior Therapy
Behavioral Medicine
Biofeedback
Brain Scanning/Neuroimaging
Child Sexual Abuse
Classifying Mental Disorders
Clinical Assessment
Cognitive Therapy
Community Mental Health
Constructivist Psychotherapies
Coping with Stress
Couples Therapy
Depression—Applied Aspects
Domestic Violence Intervention
Family Therapy
Hypnosis and the Psychological Unconscious
Meditation and the Relaxation Response
Personality Assessment
Premenstrual Syndrome Treatment Interventions
Psychoanalysis
Psychopharmacology
Sexual Dysfunction Therapy
Standards for Psychotherapy
Support Groups

Nowhere are psychology’s expansion and change seen more clearly than in the evolution of the APA. Founded in 1892 by G. Stanley Hall at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, the APA began with 31 charter members. Currently, there are over 60,000 APA members and 56 divisions with which these members and other interested psychologists can affiliate. The diversity of the APA divisions clearly reflects the changing face of contemporary psychology as well as represents wide subjects of psychological research. They include General Psychology (Division 1), the Study of Social Issues (Division 9), Clinical Psychology (Division 12), Pharmacology and Substance Abuse (Division 28), Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (Division 33), Media Psychology (Division 46), International Psychology (Division 52), and Trauma Psychology (Division 56). Clearly, psychology research topics in the 21st century continue to be diverse and evolving.

The cutting-edge research paper topics include the following:

Browse examples of psychology research papers to find sample research paper on all topics in the list above. Whether the research paper deals with a traditional topic or a cutting-edge topic, you will find that it presents the materials in a decidedly contemporary manner. We hope that students will enjoy reading the research papers on different topics in psychology as much as we have enjoyed collecting them for you.

50+ Topics for Psychology Research Papers

Categories Psychology Education

If you have ever had to write a paper for one of your psychology classes, then you probably know that choosing psychology paper topics can sometimes be tricky. Fortunately, there are plenty of great topics for psychology research papers to help you finish your assignment.

Keep reading to learn more about how to find topics for psychology research papers and find inspiration to help you get started.

Table of Contents

How to Choose Topics for Psychology Research Papers

If you are going to write a psychology paper, the first thing you need to do is pick a good topic. This is often easier said than done.

In some cases, your instructor might assign you topics for psychology research papers, or at least narrow your range of options by providing a general subject area on which to focus your paper.

But in many cases, choosing the topic of your psychology paper is entirely up to you—and that’s where things can get tricky. How do you choose a great topic? What if you pick something too specific and struggle to find sources? Or what if you go too broad and end up biting off more than you can chew?

Following a few simple steps can make the topic selection process a lot easier.

Choose a General Subject

Part of what makes picking a topic for a psychology paper so difficult is how overwhelmed you are by the information you feel. Make it easier on yourself by restricting your options to at least a general topic area.

Narrow Down to a More Specific Topic

Once you’ve chosen a general area, you can then narrow topics for psychology research papers down to something much more specific and manageable.

For example, you might start by deciding that you want to write your paper on a topic within a specific branch of psychology . From there you might further narrow your focus down to a much narrower subject area within that branch

So, imagine that you’re writing a psychology research paper in your general psychology course. Your instructor has given you free rein to select any topic you please, so you begin by deciding to write your paper on a social psychology topic.

Now that you have a general idea, you drill down further and decide to research and write your paper on how prejudice forms and ways to minimize it.

General Topics for Psychology Research Papers

Because general psychology classes cover such a wide range of topics, you have a very large selection of subject ideas to choose from. Start by choosing a general topic, and then narrow your focus down so that you can fully cover the subject.

Some ideas include:

An issue paper: Tackle one of the current issues in psychology, such as parity in mental health care or involving psychologists in military interrogations.
Profile a famous psychologist: Select a well-known psychologist and then write a profile exploring his or her life, theories, and career.
Explore a well-known psychology experiment: Write a paper on a classic psychology study, such as the Milgram Obedience Experiment or the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Write about a topic within personality psychology: Personality psychology focuses on the traits and dispositions that contribute to overall personality. This is one of the largest topics within psychology so there are plenty of fascinating research topics from which to choose. Some specific topics that might interest you include whether personality can change, different theories of personality development and the Big Five theory of personality.

Specific Topics for Psychology Research Papers

You might also want to choose topics for psychology research papers that are related to a specific branch of psychology. Some options that you might consider include:

Clinical Psychology

How effective is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating specific phobias?
What is the relationship between childhood trauma and borderline personality disorder?
How do medication and psychotherapy compare in the treatment of depression?
How does social media affect teen mental health?

Developmental Psychology

How do parenting styles influence child development?
What are the long-term effects of early childhood education?
What role does play have in cognitive development?
What effect does having siblings have on developmental outcomes?

Cognitive Psychology

How does sleep deprivation influence the memory consolidation process?
What impact does aging have on cognitive functioning?
How does exercise impact working memory?
Does learning a second language have cognitive benefits?

Social Psychology

What effect does discrimination have on self-esteem?
How does self-presentation online differ from self-presentation in real-world settings?
How do leadership styles influence productivity in groups?

Okay, let’s just imagine that you’re having a bad case of writer’s block. You understand the basic approach for picking a good topic, but nothing seems to be catching your interest. You’re looking for some more inspiration to get you started.

Here are just a few great topics for psychology papers that you might want to consider:

Controversial Topics for Psychology Research Papers

The history of psychology is not always positive, and if you enjoy writing about controversial topics, psychology’s history is rich with material.

The use of lobotomies to treat mental illness
The history of mental asylums in the United States
The use and effects of electroconvulsive therapy
Conversion therapy and its damaging effects
Attachment therapy
Controversial experiments such as Milgram’s obedience experiment or Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison experiment
The debate over the nature of intelligence
The impact of the eugenics movement on psychology
Controversies surrounding the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

Disorder Topics for Psychology Research Papers

Writing about the history, prevalence, and treatment of a specific mental condition can be an interesting topic for a psychology paper. Some options you might consider include:

Eating disorders
Anxiety disorders
Borderline personality disorder
Schizophrenia
Substance abuse and addictions
Developmental disorders

Free APA Journals ™ Articles

Recently published articles from subdisciplines of psychology covered by more than 90 APA Journals™ publications.

For additional free resources (such as article summaries, podcasts, and more), please visit the Highlights in Psychological Research page.

Basic / Experimental Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Core of Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology, School Psychology, and Training
Forensic Psychology
Health Psychology & Medicine
Industrial / Organizational Psychology & Management
Neuroscience & Cognition
Social Psychology & Social Processes
Moving While Black: Intergroup Attitudes Influence Judgments of Speed (PDF, 71KB) Journal of Experimental Psychology: General February 2016 by Andreana C. Kenrick, Stacey Sinclair, Jennifer Richeson, Sara C. Verosky, and Janetta Lun
Recognition Without Awareness: Encoding and Retrieval Factors (PDF, 116KB) Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition September 2015 by Fergus I. M. Craik, Nathan S. Rose, and Nigel Gopie
The Tip-of-the-Tongue Heuristic: How Tip-of-the-Tongue States Confer Perceptibility on Inaccessible Words (PDF, 91KB) Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition September 2015 by Anne M. Cleary and Alexander B. Claxton
Cognitive Processes in the Breakfast Task: Planning and Monitoring (PDF, 146KB) Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology / Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale September 2015 by Nathan S. Rose, Lin Luo, Ellen Bialystok, Alexandra Hering, Karen Lau, and Fergus I. M. Craik
Searching for Explanations: How the Internet Inflates Estimates of Internal Knowledge (PDF, 138KB) Journal of Experimental Psychology: General June 2015 by Matthew Fisher, Mariel K. Goddu, and Frank C. Keil
Client Perceptions of Corrective Experiences in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: An Exploratory Pilot Study (PDF, 62KB) Journal of Psychotherapy Integration March 2017 by Jasmine Khattra, Lynne Angus, Henny Westra, Christianne Macaulay, Kathrin Moertl, and Michael Constantino
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Developmental Trajectories Related to Parental Expressed Emotion (PDF, 160KB) Journal of Abnormal Psychology February 2016 by Erica D. Musser, Sarah L. Karalunas, Nathan Dieckmann, Tara S. Peris, and Joel T. Nigg
The Integrated Scientist-Practitioner: A New Model for Combining Research and Clinical Practice in Fee-For-Service Settings (PDF, 58KB) Professional Psychology: Research and Practice December 2015 by Jenna T. LeJeune and Jason B. Luoma
Psychotherapists as Gatekeepers: An Evidence-Based Case Study Highlighting the Role and Process of Letter Writing for Transgender Clients (PDF, 76KB) Psychotherapy September 2015 by Stephanie L. Budge
Perspectives of Family and Veterans on Family Programs to Support Reintegration of Returning Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PDF, 70KB) Psychological Services August 2015 by Ellen P. Fischer, Michelle D. Sherman, Jean C. McSweeney, Jeffrey M. Pyne, Richard R. Owen, and Lisa B. Dixon
"So What Are You?": Inappropriate Interview Questions for Psychology Doctoral and Internship Applicants (PDF, 79KB) Training and Education in Professional Psychology May 2015 by Mike C. Parent, Dana A. Weiser, and Andrea McCourt
Cultural Competence as a Core Emphasis of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (PDF, 81KB) Psychoanalytic Psychology April 2015 by Pratyusha Tummala-Narra
The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-Being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients (PDF, 123KB) Spirituality in Clinical Practice March 2015 by Paul J. Mills, Laura Redwine, Kathleen Wilson, Meredith A. Pung, Kelly Chinh, Barry H. Greenberg, Ottar Lunde, Alan Maisel, Ajit Raisinghani, Alex Wood, and Deepak Chopra
Nepali Bhutanese Refugees Reap Support Through Community Gardening (PDF, 104KB) International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation January 2017 by Monica M. Gerber, Jennifer L. Callahan, Danielle N. Moyer, Melissa L. Connally, Pamela M. Holtz, and Beth M. Janis
Does Monitoring Goal Progress Promote Goal Attainment? A Meta-Analysis of the Experimental Evidence (PDF, 384KB) Psychological Bulletin February 2016 by Benjamin Harkin, Thomas L. Webb, Betty P. I. Chang, Andrew Prestwich, Mark Conner, Ian Kellar, Yael Benn, and Paschal Sheeran
Youth Violence: What We Know and What We Need to Know (PDF, 388KB) American Psychologist January 2016 by Brad J. Bushman, Katherine Newman, Sandra L. Calvert, Geraldine Downey, Mark Dredze, Michael Gottfredson, Nina G. Jablonski, Ann S. Masten, Calvin Morrill, Daniel B. Neill, Daniel Romer, and Daniel W. Webster
Supervenience and Psychiatry: Are Mental Disorders Brain Disorders? (PDF, 113KB) Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology November 2015 by Charles M. Olbert and Gary J. Gala
Constructing Psychological Objects: The Rhetoric of Constructs (PDF, 108KB) Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology November 2015 by Kathleen L. Slaney and Donald A. Garcia
Expanding Opportunities for Diversity in Positive Psychology: An Examination of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity (PDF, 119KB) Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne August 2015 by Meghana A. Rao and Stewart I. Donaldson
Racial Microaggression Experiences and Coping Strategies of Black Women in Corporate Leadership (PDF, 132KB) Qualitative Psychology August 2015 by Aisha M. B. Holder, Margo A. Jackson, and Joseph G. Ponterotto
An Appraisal Theory of Empathy and Other Vicarious Emotional Experiences (PDF, 151KB) Psychological Review July 2015 by Joshua D. Wondra and Phoebe C. Ellsworth
An Attachment Theoretical Framework for Personality Disorders (PDF, 100KB) Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne May 2015 by Kenneth N. Levy, Benjamin N. Johnson, Tracy L. Clouthier, J. Wesley Scala, and Christina M. Temes
Emerging Approaches to the Conceptualization and Treatment of Personality Disorder (PDF, 111KB) Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne May 2015 by John F. Clarkin, Kevin B. Meehan, and Mark F. Lenzenweger
A Complementary Processes Account of the Development of Childhood Amnesia and a Personal Past (PDF, 585KB) Psychological Review April 2015 by Patricia J. Bauer
Terminal Decline in Well-Being: The Role of Social Orientation (PDF, 238KB) Psychology and Aging March 2016 by Denis Gerstorf, Christiane A. Hoppmann, Corinna E. Löckenhoff, Frank J. Infurna, Jürgen Schupp, Gert G. Wagner, and Nilam Ram
Student Threat Assessment as a Standard School Safety Practice: Results From a Statewide Implementation Study (PDF, 97KB) School Psychology Quarterly June 2018 by Dewey Cornell, Jennifer L. Maeng, Anna Grace Burnette, Yuane Jia, Francis Huang, Timothy Konold, Pooja Datta, Marisa Malone, and Patrick Meyer
Can a Learner-Centered Syllabus Change Students’ Perceptions of Student–Professor Rapport and Master Teacher Behaviors? (PDF, 90KB) Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology September 2016 by Aaron S. Richmond, Jeanne M. Slattery, Nathanael Mitchell, Robin K. Morgan, and Jared Becknell
Adolescents' Homework Performance in Mathematics and Science: Personal Factors and Teaching Practices (PDF, 170KB) Journal of Educational Psychology November 2015 by Rubén Fernández-Alonso, Javier Suárez-Álvarez, and José Muñiz
Teacher-Ready Research Review: Clickers (PDF, 55KB) Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology September 2015 by R. Eric Landrum
Enhancing Attention and Memory During Video-Recorded Lectures (PDF, 83KB) Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology March 2015 by Daniel L. Schacter and Karl K. Szpunar
The Alleged "Ferguson Effect" and Police Willingness to Engage in Community Partnership (PDF, 70KB) Law and Human Behavior February 2016 by Scott E. Wolfe and Justin Nix
Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internet Cognitive Behavioral Skills-Based Program for Auditory Hallucinations in Persons With Psychosis (PDF, 92KB) Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal September 2017 by Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Vasudha Gidugu, Mihoko Maru, Miriam C. Tepper, Matthew J. Davis, Jennifer Greenwold, Ruth A. Barron, Brian P. Chiko, and Kim T. Mueser
Preventing Unemployment and Disability Benefit Receipt Among People With Mental Illness: Evidence Review and Policy Significance (PDF, 134KB) Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal June 2017 by Bonnie O'Day, Rebecca Kleinman, Benjamin Fischer, Eric Morris, and Crystal Blyler
Sending Your Grandparents to University Increases Cognitive Reserve: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (PDF, 88KB) Neuropsychology July 2016 by Megan E. Lenehan, Mathew J. Summers, Nichole L. Saunders, Jeffery J. Summers, David D. Ward, Karen Ritchie, and James C. Vickers
The Foundational Principles as Psychological Lodestars: Theoretical Inspiration and Empirical Direction in Rehabilitation Psychology (PDF, 68KB) Rehabilitation Psychology February 2016 by Dana S. Dunn, Dawn M. Ehde, and Stephen T. Wegener
Feeling Older and Risk of Hospitalization: Evidence From Three Longitudinal Cohorts (PDF, 55KB) Health Psychology Online First Publication — February 11, 2016 by Yannick Stephan, Angelina R. Sutin, and Antonio Terracciano
Anger Intensification With Combat-Related PTSD and Depression Comorbidity (PDF, 81KB) Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy January 2016 by Oscar I. Gonzalez, Raymond W. Novaco, Mark A. Reger, and Gregory A. Gahm
Special Issue on eHealth and mHealth: Challenges and Future Directions for Assessment, Treatment, and Dissemination (PDF, 32KB) Health Psychology December 2015 by Belinda Borrelli and Lee M. Ritterband
Posttraumatic Growth Among Combat Veterans: A Proposed Developmental Pathway (PDF, 110KB) Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy July 2015 by Sylvia Marotta-Walters, Jaehwa Choi, and Megan Doughty Shaine
Racial and Sexual Minority Women's Receipt of Medical Assistance to Become Pregnant (PDF, 111KB) Health Psychology June 2015 by Bernadette V. Blanchfield and Charlotte J. Patterson
An Examination of Generational Stereotypes as a Path Towards Reverse Ageism (PDF, 205KB) The Psychologist-Manager Journal August 2017 By Michelle Raymer, Marissa Reed, Melissa Spiegel, and Radostina K. Purvanova
Sexual Harassment: Have We Made Any Progress? (PDF, 121KB) Journal of Occupational Health Psychology July 2017 By James Campbell Quick and M. Ann McFadyen
Multidimensional Suicide Inventory-28 (MSI-28) Within a Sample of Military Basic Trainees: An Examination of Psychometric Properties (PDF, 79KB) Military Psychology November 2015 By Serena Bezdjian, Danielle Burchett, Kristin G. Schneider, Monty T. Baker, and Howard N. Garb
Cross-Cultural Competence: The Role of Emotion Regulation Ability and Optimism (PDF, 100KB) Military Psychology September 2015 By Bianca C. Trejo, Erin M. Richard, Marinus van Driel, and Daniel P. McDonald
The Effects of Stress on Prospective Memory: A Systematic Review (PDF, 149KB) Psychology & Neuroscience September 2017 by Martina Piefke and Katharina Glienke
Don't Aim Too High for Your Kids: Parental Overaspiration Undermines Students' Learning in Mathematics (PDF, 164KB) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology November 2016 by Kou Murayama, Reinhard Pekrun, Masayuki Suzuki, Herbert W. Marsh, and Stephanie Lichtenfeld
Sex Differences in Sports Interest and Motivation: An Evolutionary Perspective (PDF, 155KB) Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences April 2016 by Robert O. Deaner, Shea M. Balish, and Michael P. Lombardo
Asian Indian International Students' Trajectories of Depression, Acculturation, and Enculturation (PDF, 210KB) Asian American Journal of Psychology March 2016 By Dhara T. Meghani and Elizabeth A. Harvey
Cynical Beliefs About Human Nature and Income: Longitudinal and Cross-Cultural Analyses (PDF, 163KB) January 2016 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Olga Stavrova and Daniel Ehlebracht
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Transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses.

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Revolutionizing the Study of Mental Disorders

March 27, 2024 • Feature Story • 75th Anniversary

At a Glance:

The Research Domain Criteria framework (RDoC) was created in 2010 by the National Institute of Mental Health.
The framework encourages researchers to examine functional processes that are implemented by the brain on a continuum from normal to abnormal.
This way of researching mental disorders can help overcome inherent limitations in using all-or-nothing diagnostic systems for research.
Researchers worldwide have taken up the principles of RDoC.
The framework continues to evolve and update as new information becomes available.

President George H. W. Bush proclaimed the 1990s “ The Decade of the Brain ,” urging the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and others to raise awareness about the benefits of brain research.

“Over the years, our understanding of the brain—how it works, what goes wrong when it is injured or diseased—has increased dramatically. However, we still have much more to learn,” read the president’s proclamation. “The need for continued study of the brain is compelling: millions of Americans are affected each year by disorders of the brain…Today, these individuals and their families are justifiably hopeful, for a new era of discovery is dawning in brain research.”

An image showing an FMRI machine with computer screens showing brain images. Credit: iStock/patrickheagney.

Still, despite the explosion of new techniques and tools for studying the brain, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), many mental health researchers were growing frustrated that their field was not progressing as quickly as they had hoped.

For decades, researchers have studied mental disorders using diagnoses based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—a handbook that lists the symptoms of mental disorders and the criteria for diagnosing a person with a disorder. But, among many researchers, suspicion was growing that the system used to diagnose mental disorders may not be the best way to study them.

“There are many benefits to using the DSM in medical settings—it provides reliability and ease of diagnosis. It also provides a clear-cut diagnosis for patients, which can be necessary to request insurance-based coverage of healthcare or job- or school-based accommodations,” said Bruce Cuthbert, Ph.D., who headed the workgroup that developed NIMH’s Research Domain Criteria Initiative. “However, when used in research, this approach is not always ideal.”

Researchers would often test people with a specific diagnosed DSM disorder against those with a different disorder or with no disorder and see how the groups differed. However, different mental disorders can have similar symptoms, and people can be diagnosed with several different disorders simultaneously. In addition, a diagnosis using the DSM is all or none—patients either qualify for the disorder based on their number of symptoms, or they don’t. This black-and-white approach means there may be people who experience symptoms of a mental disorder but just miss the cutoff for diagnosis.

Dr. Cuthbert, who is now the senior member of the RDoC Unit which orchestrates RDoC work, stated that “Diagnostic systems are based on clinical signs and symptoms, but signs and symptoms can’t really tell us much about what is going on in the brain or the underlying causes of a disorder. With modern neuroscience, we were seeing that information on genetic, pathophysiological, and psychological causes of mental disorders did not line up well with the current diagnostic disorder categories, suggesting that there were central processes that relate to mental disorders that were not being reflected in DMS-based research.”

Road to evolution

Concerned about the limits of using the DSM for research, Dr. Cuthbert, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Minnesota at the time, approached Dr. Thomas Insel (then NIMH director) during a conference in the autumn of 2008. Dr. Cuthbert recalled saying, “I think it’s really important that we start looking at dimensions of functions related to mental disorders such as fear, working memory, and reward systems because we know that these dimensions cut across various disorders. I think NIMH really needs to think about mental disorders in this new way.”

Dr. Cuthbert didn’t know it then, but he was suggesting something similar to ideas that NIMH was considering. Just months earlier, Dr. Insel had spearheaded the inclusion of a goal in NIMH’s 2008 Strategic Plan for Research to “develop, for research purposes, new ways of classifying mental disorders based on dimensions of observable behavior and neurobiological measures.”

Unaware of the new strategic goal, Dr. Cuthbert was surprised when Dr. Insel's senior advisor, Marlene Guzman, called a few weeks later to ask if he’d be interested in taking a sabbatical to help lead this new effort. Dr. Cuthbert soon transitioned into a full-time NIMH employee, joining the Institute at an exciting time to lead the development of what became known as the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Framework. The effort began in 2009 with the creation of an internal working group of interdisciplinary NIMH staff who identified core functional areas that could be used as examples of what research using this new conceptual framework looked like.

The workgroup members conceived a bold change in how investigators studied mental disorders.

“We wanted researchers to transition from looking at mental disorders as all or none diagnoses based on groups of symptoms. Instead, we wanted to encourage researchers to understand how basic core functions of the brain—like fear processing and reward processing—work at a biological and behavioral level and how these core functions contribute to mental disorders,” said Dr. Cuthbert.

This approach would incorporate biological and behavioral measures of mental disorders and examine processes that cut across and apply to all mental disorders. From Dr. Cuthbert’s standpoint, this could help remedy some of the frustrations mental health researchers were experiencing.

Around the same time the workgroup was sharing its plans and organizing the first steps, Sarah Morris, Ph.D., was a researcher focusing on schizophrenia at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. When she first read these papers, she wondered what this new approach would mean for her research, her grants, and her lab.

She also remembered feeling that this new approach reflected what she was seeing in her data.

“When I grouped my participants by those with and without schizophrenia, there was a lot of overlap, and there was a lot of variability across the board, and so it felt like RDoC provided the pathway forward to dissect that and sort it out,” said Dr. Morris.

Later that year, Dr. Morris joined NIMH and the RDoC workgroup, saying, “I was bumping up against a wall every day in my own work and in the data in front of me. And the idea that someone would give the field permission to try something new—that was super exciting.”

The five original RDoC domains of functioning were introduced to the broader scientific community in a series of articles published in 2010 .

To establish the new framework, the RDoC workgroup (including Drs. Cuthbert and Morris) began a series of workshops in 2011 to collect feedback from experts in various areas from the larger scientific community. Five workshops were held over the next two years, each with a different broad domain of functioning based upon prior basic behavioral neuroscience. The five domains were called:

Negative valence (which included processes related to things like fear, threat, and loss)
Positive valence (which included processes related to working for rewards and appreciating rewards)
Cognitive processes
Social processes
Arousal and regulation processes (including arousal systems for the body and sleep).

At each workshop, experts defined several specific functions, termed constructs, that fell within the domain of interest. For instance, constructs in the cognitive processes domain included attention, memory, cognitive control, and others.

The result of these feedback sessions was a framework that described mental disorders as the interaction between different functional processes—processes that could occur on a continuum from normal to abnormal. Researchers could measure these functional processes in a variety of complementary ways—for example, by looking at genes associated with these processes, the brain circuits that implement these processes, tests or observations of behaviors that represent these functional processes, and what patients report about their concerns. Also included in the framework was an understanding that functional processes associated with mental disorders are impacted and altered by the environment and a person’s developmental stage.

Preserving momentum

An image depicting the RDoC Framework that includes four overlapping circles (titled: Lifespan, Domains, Units of Analysis, and Environment).

Over time, the Framework continued evolving and adapting to the changing science. In 2018, a sixth functional area called sensorimotor processes was added to the Framework, and in 2019, a workshop was held to better incorporate developmental and environmental processes into the framework.;

Since its creation, the use of RDoC principles in mental health research has spread across the U.S. and the rest of the world. For example, the Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers project (PRISM) , which receives funding from the European Union’s Innovative Medicines Initiative, is seeking to link biological markers of social withdrawal with clinical diagnoses using RDoC-style principles. Similarly, the Roadmap for Mental Health Research in Europe (ROAMER) project by the European Commission sought to integrate mental health research across Europe using principles similar to those in the RDoC Framework.;

Dr. Morris, who has acceded to the Head of the RDoC Unit, commented: “The fact that investigators and science funders outside the United States are also pursuing similar approaches gives me confidence that we’ve been on the right pathway. I just think that this has got to be how nature works and that we are in better alignment with the basic fundamental processes that are of interest to understanding mental disorders.”

The RDoC framework will continue to adapt and change with emerging science to remain relevant as a resource for researchers now and in the future. For instance, NIMH continues to work toward the development and optimization of tools to assess RDoC constructs and supports data-driven efforts to measure function within and across domains.

“For the millions of people impacted by mental disorders, research means hope. The RDoC framework helps us study mental disorders in a different way and has already driven considerable change in the field over the past decade,” said Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIMH. “We hope this and other innovative approaches will continue to accelerate research progress, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.”

Publications

Cuthbert, B. N., & Insel, T. R. (2013). Toward the future of psychiatric diagnosis: The seven pillars of RDoC. BMC Medicine , 11 , 126. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-11-126

Cuthbert B. N. (2014). Translating intermediate phenotypes to psychopathology: The NIMH Research Domain Criteria. Psychophysiology , 51 (12), 1205–1206. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12342

Cuthbert, B., & Insel, T. (2010). The data of diagnosis: New approaches to psychiatric classification. Psychiatry , 73 (4), 311–314. https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2010.73.4.311

Cuthbert, B. N., & Kozak, M. J. (2013). Constructing constructs for psychopathology: The NIMH research domain criteria. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 122 (3), 928–937. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034028

Garvey, M. A., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2017). Developing a motor systems domain for the NIMH RDoC program. Schizophrenia Bulletin , 43 (5), 935–936. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbx095

Kozak, M. J., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2016). The NIMH Research Domain Criteria initiative: Background, issues, and pragmatics. Psychophysiology , 53 (3), 286–297. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12518

Morris, S. E., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2012). Research Domain Criteria: Cognitive systems, neural circuits, and dimensions of behavior. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience , 14 (1), 29–37. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2012.14.1/smorris

Sanislow, C. A., Pine, D. S., Quinn, K. J., Kozak, M. J., Garvey, M. A., Heinssen, R. K., Wang, P. S., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2010). Developing constructs for psychopathology research: Research domain criteria. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 119 (4), 631–639. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020909

Presidential Proclamation 6158 (The Decade of the Brain)
Research Domain Criteria Initiative website
Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers (PRISM)

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