Editorial: When more science is not enough – rethinking the ‘translational dividend’ of clinical psychological science

Abstract

To broaden and diversify the perspectives and experiences informing the editorial work for this journal, 27 affiliate editors have joined the ranks of the editorial board since 2023. They each work together with one of the 20 joint editors. As an early-career scientist practitioner who sees both papers as well as patients (Dagan) and a late-career scientist seeing papers only (Schuengel), we have worked together in handling submissions within the broad domain of clinically relevant research on young people and their families. Our editorial dialogue picks up on an earlier editorial, raising the issue of limited ‘translational dividend’ of our science. We identify structural and practical barriers that stand in the way of scientific knowledge transitioning into practice, and we conclude by considering how the subject matters in our field require intellectual humility in our research and editorial decision-making with respect to contrast with actual practice.