ABSTRACT
As valuable as empirical results are, they simply cannot provide a comprehensive perspective, and in the absence of theory oft en just accumulate, fi lling academic journals. It might be opined that empirical results move knowledge ahead simply by the weight of the fi ndings, but a sobering reality is that about 80% of medical research results are false (see the chapter “Diagnostic Considerations”), and this is for top tier results in areas where there are hard endpoints! It only takes a little imagination to realize how weak the empirical results likely are in mental health research with mostly soft endpoints, such as points on a rating scale. Th eory can compensate for this sad reality by providing workable models divorced from fi nancial and political infl uences. Th e current book defi nes mental illness by linking empirical fi ndings to advanced theoretical models. In this regard, three major concepts, which combined yield a robust picture of psychopathology, stand out: Continuums, regulation, and defense.
