Waiting for Translation: A Review of Translational Research in Psychological Treatment

Translational psychological treatment aims to translate basic research findings and principles into novel psychological interventions, but recent research indicates unrealized potential. To better understand and overcome barriers in this translational process, we systematically reviewed 621 publications from a recently published bibliographic dataset. We took a mixed-methods approach, drawing on a previously proposed conceptual framework for translational research in clinical psychology. Specifically, we identified the exact translational stage of each publication and specified the object of translation, the targeted disorder, the proposed intervention, and the direction of translation. We further analyzed distribution patterns across translational stages and assessed differences in basic psychological subfields. In addition, we examined discussion sections to identify recurring challenges and strategic recommendations regarding the process of translation. Results show that extinction learning, emotion regulation, and inhibitory learning are the most frequently translated basic science constructs, with remarkable bottlenecks between establishing causality and intervention development. Quantitative analyses revealed a non-linear progression through translational stages and the strongest translation pathways from physiological psychology/neuropsychology and experimental psychology. Qualitative analyses identified methodological challenges, including a preference for simpler mechanisms, and conceptual barriers stemming from terminological inconsistencies. We conclude that more systematic approaches to intervention development are needed and propose strategies to accelerate the translation of basic psychological science into effective clinical applications.