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Research Domain Criteria — MRCPsych Paper A MCQ

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HardHistory and classificationResearch Domain CriteriaMRCPsych Paper A

A researcher recruits people with auditory hallucinations regardless of whether they have schizophrenia, an affective disorder or no psychiatric diagnosis. Inhibitory control is studied dimensionally using genetic, neural-circuit, physiological, behavioural and self-report measures. Which framework most specifically prescribes this combination of transdiagnostic sampling and multiple units of analysis?

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Correct answer: D — Research Domain Criteria

The correct answer is **E, Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)**. RDoC investigates dimensions of functioning across conventional diagnoses and organises research constructs against multiple units of analysis, including genes, molecules, cells, neural circuits, physiology, behaviour and self-report. Studying inhibitory control and hallucinations transdiagnostically is a recognised RDoC application. HiTOP is also transdiagnostic and dimensional, but primarily derives a hierarchical taxonomy from patterns of symptom covariation rather than prescribing the RDoC biological-to-behavioural matrix. Network approaches model symptoms or other elements as mutually interacting nodes. The DSM-5 Alternative Model and ICD-11 trait qualifiers are dimensional approaches developed principally for personality-disorder classification and do not fit this research design.

Reference: Cuthbert BN. Research Domain Criteria (RDoC): Progress and Potential. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2022;31(2):107–114. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35692384/