Bridging Intervention and Implementation Research for More Personalized Behavioral Health.

Abstract

Despite advances in behavioral health research, the burden of behavioral health disorders continues to grow. One explanation for the persistent challenges to improved behavioral health outcomes is the misalignment between behavioral health research and the diverse and complex needs of individuals served in real-world settings. Reimagining how interventions are developed, tested, and implemented to be more personalized could result in better alignment with the unique biopsychosocial mechanisms, contextual circumstances, and treatment goals of individuals. We outline four shifts to advance more personalized behavioral health intervention design, research, and implementation, as follows: 1) Center the socioecological contexts of individual behavioral health mechanisms and needs; 2) Develop and test discrete, flexible intervention strategies; 3) Adapt implementation science to deliver personalized treatments; and 4) Embed participatory approaches throughout the translational research spectrum. We explore these shifts in detail and discuss their implications for behavioral health research. We also offer recommendations for researchers and note barriers to implement these shifts. By reimagining how we understand problems, personalize interventions, define success, and generate evidence, we can create a methodological bridge between basic mechanistic research and real-world public health impact.