The Future of the Biopsychosocial Model: Toward a Transdisciplinary Systems Science of Mental Health

The biopsychosocial model is perhaps the most widely accepted model of mental health. Yet, themodel is also surprisingly limited, failing to provide clear guidance for clinical research. In thispaper, we join recent efforts to chart a path forward for the biopsychosocial model, arguing thatthe success of this framework will hinge on our ability to engage in transdisciplinarycollaboration. We begin by showing that the biopsychosocial model is a systems model and thatcollaboration with researchers studying systems in other disciplines will, therefore, afford insightinto the nature, etiology, and treatment of mental disorders. We then illustrate how biological,psychological, social, and environmental systems all contribute to mental health and argue thatadvancing our understanding of mental health will, therefore, require collaborative integration ofwork from across domains of science. We conclude with three concrete steps that can help moveus toward a transdisciplinary systems science of mental health.