Zad’s 4- Dimensional Model of the Self: An Integrative Conceptualization

The psyche is an emergent, multilayered system. Neurons, hormones, and genes set the stage; experiences and relationships script the play; thoughts, feelings, and drives write the dialogue; self-reflection and culture direct the performance. Yet despite the wealth of theoretical frameworks—psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, biopsychosocial, and neuroscientific—psychiatric education often remains siloed, with each model illuminating only a facet of the human story. This article propose a 4-Dimensional Model of the Self, which unites four cross-domain dimensions (Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors, and Biology) with a novel metaconscious evaluative layer. The framework honors prior theories while offering an integrated lens for psychiatric reasoning and clinical application, anchoring DSM-5 categories into intuitive, phenomenologically grounded domains, offering a practical heuristic for educators and clinicians to scaffold case conceptualization, and demonstrating its applicability through clinical vignettes in psychosis, depression, and addiction.