Bridging theory and practice: conceptual understanding of treatments for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), autism, and depression

Serves as an introduction to a special edition of the journal on bridging theory and clinical practice for childhood disorders. Issues concerning the current trend of developing and evaluating new treatments devoid of a theoretical perspective are discussed. A conceptual model of child psychopathology is presented to illustrate the relevance and interplay between theory and the design and evaluation of treatments with particular emphasis on the selection and measurement of target behaviors. The means by which theory and empirical evidence interact and their relevance to understanding particular childhood disorders are discussed and emphasize the need for theoretical and conceptual models that describe the linkages among hypothesized brain substrates, cognitive function, behavior, and the environment to augment the development of potent biological and psychological interventions.