Modeling interdisciplinary research to advance behavioral health care.

Over the past 15 years, scientists have become increasingly interested in interdisciplinary research collaborations. The integration of multiple perspectives to provide input into the most complex issues in science is thought to offer the best opportunity to find real-world answers to difficult problems. In this review and introduction to the special section on interdisciplinary research in behavioral health care, the value of a collaborative strategy is explored. Examples from the research presented in the special section are described to identify how processes were modified and interpretations made richer by these collaborations. Also discussed are potential impediments to researchers choosing to work from an interdisciplinary perspective. Conditions that are thought to encourage collaborative, interdisciplinary perspectives are also described.