Integrative models of psychopathology and psychotherapy: A PRISMA-based scoping review

Since the 1970s there has been increasing interest in integrative approaches to psychopathology. Within this framework, numerous models have been developed. The aim of this manuscript is to inventory these models, provide a critical evaluation of them, and offer recommendations for their further development.

We conducted a scoping review based on PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy included keywords related to psychotherapy and/or psychopathology, one keyword related to models or conceptualizations, and one keyword associated with the integrative notion. The selected studies focused exclusively on integrative models of psychopathology and/or psychotherapy. The research was carried out using PsycInfo, PubMed, and EMBASE databases.

A total of 61 manuscripts were included in the systematic review. We identified a broad range of conceptual proposals, which can be categorized into three main types of models: 1) Models proposing a general framework for understanding psychopathology, 2) Models focusing on common factors in psychotherapy and 3) Models suggesting that a specific psychotherapy is inherently integrative.

Many of these identified models face criticism for their lack of clear methodological development, limited empirical evidence, and/or restricted applicability to psychotherapeutic interventions. Future models should aim to address these limitations in order to advance the field.